Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Residential Altitude Associates With Endurance but Not Muscle Power in Young Swiss Men

Introduction Physical fitness benefits health. However, there is a research gap on how physical fitness, particularly aerobic endurance capacity and muscle power, is influenced by residential altitude, blood parameters, weight, and other cofactors in a population living at low to moderate altitudes (300–2100 masl). Materials and Methods We explored how endurance and muscle power performance changes with residential altitude, Body Mass Index (BMI), hemoglobin and creatinine levels among 108,677 Swiss men aged 18–22 years (covering >90% of Swiss birth cohorts) conscripted to the Swiss Armed Forces between 2007 and 2012. The test battery included a blood test of about 65%, a physical evaluation of about 85%, and the BMI of all conscripts. Results Residential altitude was significantly associated with endurance (p < 0.001) but not with muscle power performance (p = 0.858) after adjusting for all available cofactors. Higher BMI showed the greatest negative association with both endurance and muscle power performance. For muscle power performance, the association with creatinine levels was significant. Elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) and hemoglobin levels were stronger contributors in explaining endurance than muscle power performance. Conclusion We found a significant association between low to moderate residential altitude and aerobic endurance capacity even after adjustment for hemoglobin, creatinine, BMI and sociodemographic factors. Non-assessed factors such as vitamin D levels, air pollution, and lifestyle aspects may explain the presented remaining association partially and could also be associated with residential altitude. Monitoring the health and fitness of young people and their determinants is important and of practical concern for disease prevention and public health implications.
Utilization of Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats to Genotype Escherichia coli Serogroup O80

The hypervariable nature of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPRs) makes them valuable biomarkers for subtyping and epidemiological investigation of Escherichia coli. Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) serogroup O80 is one hybrid pathotype that is emerging recently in Europe and is involved in hemolytic uremic syndrome with bacteremia. However, whether STEC O80 strains can be genotyped using CRISPR has not been evaluated. In this study, we aimed to characterize the genetic diversity of 81 E. coli serogroup O80 isolates deposited in the National Center for Biotechnology Information databases using CRISPR typing and to explore the association between virulence potential and CRISPR types (CTs). A total of 21 CTs were identified in 80 O80 strains. CRISRP typing provided discrimination with variants of a single serotype, which suggested a stronger discriminatory power. Based on CRISPR spacer profiles, 70 O80:H2 isolates were further divided into four lineages (lineage LI, LII, LIII, and LIV), which correlated well with whole-genome single nucleotide polymorphisms typing and virulence gene profiles. Moreover, the association between CRISPR lineages and virulence gene profiles hinted that STEC O80:H2 strains may originate from O80:H19 or O80:H26 and that lineage LI may have been evolved from lineage LII. CT2 and CT13 were shared by human and cattle isolates, suggesting that there might be the potential transmission between cattle and human. Collectively, CRISPR typing is one technology that can be used to monitor the transmission of STEC O80 strains and provide new insights into microevolution of serogroup O80.
Molecular and Biological Characterization of a New World Mono-/Bipartite Begomovirus/Deltasatellite Complex Infecting Corchorus siliquosus

The genus Begomovirus (family Geminiviridae) is the largest genus in the entire virosphere, with more than 400 species recognized. Begomoviruses are single-stranded DNA plant viruses transmitted by whiteflies of the Bemisia tabaci complex and are considered one of the most important groups of emerging plant viruses in tropical and subtropical regions. Several types of DNA satellites have been described to be associated with begomoviruses: betasatellites, alphasatellites, and deltasatellites. Recently, a family of single-stranded DNA satellites associated with begomoviruses has been created, Tolecusatellitidae, including the genera Betasatellite and Deltasatellite. In this work, we analyzed the population of begomoviruses and associated DNA satellites present in Corchorus siliquosus, a malvaceous plant growing wild in Central America, southeastern North America and the Caribbean, collected in Cuba. The genomes of isolates of two New World begomoviruses [(Desmodium leaf distortion virus (DesLDV) and Corchorus yellow vein Cuba virus (CoYVCUV)] and two deltasatellites [tomato yellow leaf distortion deltasatellite 2 (TYLDD2) and Desmodium leaf distortion deltasatellite (DesLDD)] have been cloned and sequenced from plants showing yellow vein symptoms. Isolates of one of the begomoviruses, CoYVCUV, and one of the deltasatellites, DesLDD, represent novel species. Experiments with infectious clones showed the monopartite nature of CoYVCUV and that DesLDD utilizes the bipartite DesLDV as helper virus, but not the monopartite CoYVCUV. Also, CoYVCUV was shown to infect common bean in addition to Nicotiana benthamiana. This is the first time that (i) a monopartite New World begomovirus is found in a host other than tomato and (ii) deltasatellites have been found in C. siliquosus, thus extending the host and helper virus ranges of this recently recognized class of DNA satellites.
Denitrification Potential of Paddy and Upland Soils Derived From the Same Parent Material Respond Differently to Long-Term Fertilization

The effects of land use and fertilization regimes on soil denitrification potential (SDP) are often investigated, but less is known about the responses of SDP to different types of land use with different fertilization regimes in soils derived from the same parent material. We conducted a study using soil samples from 2 long-term (over 30 years) fertilization experiments to determine the difference in SDP between paddy soil and upland soil derived from the same quaternary red clay parent material. The results showed that the SDP in paddy soil was 6.82 times higher than the upland soil, which was due to the higher abundances of narG, nirS, and nirK genes and nirS-denitrifying bacteria (Bradyrhizobium, Cupriavidus, and Herbaspirillum) in paddy soil. Inorganic fertilization regimes did not significantly affect the SDP of upland soil over the control group, whereas SDP in the NPK and 2NPK treatments in paddy soil were reduced relative the control group by 26.48% and 75.65%, respectively. Compared with the control, the NPKOM treatment consistently yielded the highest SDP in both soils, with 2.47 times and 2.86 times higher for paddy soil and upland soil, respectively. The SDP of paddy soil was significantly correlated with narG and nirS genes mainly regulated by amorphous aluminum oxide, whereas the treatment effect on SDP for upland soil largely depended on differences in nirS-denitrifying bacteria at the genus level (Herbaspirillum, Sulfuritalea, and Cupriavidus) and species level, which were mainly controlled by soil pH. Partial least squares path models further demonstrated that the direct effects of functional genes on SDP were greatest for paddy soil, whereas nirS-denitrifying bacterial communities played a larger role in upland soil. The results presented herein represent a key step toward understanding the mechanisms that govern SDP under land use and long-term fertilization.
Efficacy of Physical Exercise on the Quality of Life, Exercise Ability, and Cardiopulmonary Fitness of Patients With Atrial Fibrillation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Objective: Physical exercise is recommended to help prevent lifestyle diseases. The present study was designed to quantify the efficacy of physical exercise on the quality of life (QoL), exercise ability and cardiopulmonary fitness of patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Method: A comprehensive systematic literature search was performed in Medline, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science and PubMed databases (from 1970 to December 1st, 2019) for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing physical exercise combined with AF routine treatments to routine treatments alone. The meta-analysis was conducted following PRISMA guidelines. Our main outcomes were QoL (measured by the Short-Form 36 scale, SF-36), exercise ability (measured by the 6-min walk test, 6MWT) and cardiopulmonary fitness (measured by peak oxygen uptake and resting heart rate). Quality assessments were conducted using the Cochrane Collaboration tool. Results: Twelve trials involving 819 patients met the criteria for analysis. The results showed that physical exercise improved the QoL by enhancing physical functioning [standardized mean difference (SMD) = 0.63, 95%CI: 0.18–1.09; p = 0.006], general health perceptions (SMD = 0.64, 95%CI: 0.35–0.93; p < 0.001) and vitality (SMD = 0.51, 95%CI: 0.31–0.71; p < 0.001); increased exercise ability by improving the 6MWT performance (SMD = 0.69, 95%CI: 0.19–1.119; p = 0.007); and enhanced peak VO2 (SMD = 0.37, 95%CI: 0.16–0.57; p < 0.001) while reducing resting heart rate (SMD = −0.39, 95%CI: −0.65 to −0.13; p = 0.004). In addition, meta-regression analysis showed that training mode (pphysicalfunctioning = 0.012, p generalhealthperceptions = 0.035) and training duration (p = 0.047) were the main factors of an intervention that influenced the effect size. Following sub-group analysis, we found that aerobics, Yoga and longer training durations (≥60 min) showed larger improvements. Conclusion: In summary, our meta-analysis shows that physical exercise has a positive effect on the QoL, exercise ability and cardiopulmonary fitness in AF patients. When physicians offer exercise recommendations to AF patients, they should consider both the training mode and training duration to achieve maximum results.
Pepper Novel Serine-Threonine Kinase CaDIK1 Regulates Drought Tolerance via Modulating ABA Sensitivity

Adaptation to drought stress is essential for plant growth and development. Plants often adapt to water deficit conditions by activating the ABA signaling. Here, we report that the pepper CaDIK1 ( Capsicum annuum Drought Induced Kinase 1) gene is essential for plant tolerance to drought stress. CaDIK1 contains a serine-threonine kinase domain, which plays a role for attachment of phosphate to the target protein. The expression levels of CaDIK1 are upregulated in pepper leaves by ABA, drought, NaCl and H2O2 treatments suggesting its role in abiotic stress response. We used CaDIK1-silenced pepper and CaDIK1-overexpressing (OX) transgenic Arabidopsis plants to evaluate their responses to ABA and drought. CaDIK1-silenced pepper plants conferred a reduced ABA sensitivity and drought hypersensitivity, which was accompanied by high levels of transpirational water loss. CaDIK1-OX plants displayed opposite phenotypes to CaDIK1-silenced peppers. In contrast, substitution of Lys350 to Asn in the kinase domain of CaDIK1 did not lead to alteration of drought sensitivity. Collectively, these data indicate that CaDIK1 is a positive regulator of the ABA-mediated drought-stress tolerance.
Genetic Diversity of the Cichlid Andinoacara latifrons (Steindachner, 1878) as a Conservation Strategy in Different Colombian Basins

Cichlids constitute a diverse monophyletic group that have developed adaptive strategies to thrive in diverse environments. Andinoacara represents an example of diversification on the South American Andean uplift, providing a key model for understanding the evolution of biogeographic patterns. In this study, we analyzed the species Andinoacara latifrons using two mitochondrial markers (COI, cytb) and one nuclear marker (RAG1) in a populational level. Sequences were obtained through tissue collection and from the GenBank database. Populational analysis showed significant structuration among populations, also corroborated with population pairwise Fst results. Fu’s Fs and Tajima’s D results showed populations that seems to be under populational expansion. We identified 22 haplotypes using cytb. The population associations in the Cauca haplotype are related to the Momposina depression and the mixture of the Cauca-Magdalena river basins in the lower Cauca-Magdalena region. We constructed a new phylogenetic tree, which grouped mainly two A. latifrons lineages: (1) an upper Magdalena and Catatumbo clade and (2) an upper Cauca and upper Magdalena clade. Thus, A. latifrons represents a diverse entity that contributes to our understanding of the evolutionary history of northern South America. Our findings provide insight into devising public policies in determining refuges for the preservation of biodiversity in the lower Cauca and Magdalena regions in Colombia.
Human Choice Predicted by Obtained Reinforcers, Not by Reinforcement Predictors

Macphail (1985) proposed that “intelligence” should not vary across vertebrate species when contextual variables are accounted for. Focusing on research involving choice behavior, the propensity for choosing an option that produces stimuli that predict the presence or absence of reinforcement but that also results in less food over time can be examined. This choice preference has been found multiple times in pigeons (Stagner and Zentall, 2010; Zentall and Stagner, 2011; Laude et al., 2014) and has been likened to gambling behavior demonstrated by humans (Zentall, 2014, 2016). The present experiments used a similarly structured task to examine adult human preferences for reinforcement predictors and compared findings to choice behavior demonstrated by children (Lalli et al., 2000), monkeys (Smith et al., 2017; Smith and Beran, 2020), dogs (Jackson et al., 2020), rats (Chow et al., 2017; Cunningham and Shahan, 2019; Jackson et al., 2020), and pigeons (Roper and Zentall, 1999; Stagner and Zentall, 2010). In Experiment 1, adult human participants showed no preference for reinforcement predictors. Results from Experiment 2 suggest that not only were reinforcement predictors not preferred, but that perhaps reinforcement predictors had no effect at all on choice behavior. Results from Experiments 1 and 2 were further assessed using a generalized matching equation, the findings from which support that adult human choice behavior in the present research was largely determined by reinforcement history. Overall, the present results obtained from human adult participants are different than those found from pigeons in particular, suggesting that further examination of Macphail (1985) hypothesis is warranted.
Psychometric Testing of the Chinese Version of the Coping and Adaptation Processing Scale-Short Form in Adults With Chronic Illness

Background Adaptive capacity may serve as an indicator of the individuals’ coping behaviors toward illness management and may contribute to day-to-day living with chronic illness and improved quality of life. Practical and well-constructed instruments for measuring adaptation have not been adequately explored. An English 15-item Coping and Adaptation Processing–Short Form (CAPS-SF) for assessing adaptation has been created and validated in line with the underlying tenets of Coping and Adaptation Processing theory, but there is no applicable Chinese version. Methods The CAPS-SF was translated and culturally adapted into simplified Chinese. Among Chinese adults with chronic illness, 81 patients were selected for cultural adaptation and 288 patients were approached for psychometric testing. Content validity was evaluated by an expert panel. Construct validity was tested by confirmatory factor analysis. Concurrent validity and predictive validity were analyzed by Spearman correlation coefficient. Reliability was assessed by internal consistency and test–retest coefficients. Floor/ceiling effect was calculated. Results Adequate content validity was ensured by the expert panel. A four-factor structure (resourceful and focused, self-initiated and knowing-based, physical and fixed, and positive and systematic) describing individuals’ coping strategies was identified and verified. Concurrent validity and predictive validity were demonstrated by strong correlations with the confrontation of coping mode (r = 0.46) and a quality-of-life measure (r = 0.58). The McDonald’s omega coefficient of total scale was 0.82. Split-half reliability and test–retest reliability were 0.87 and 0.87. No floor/ceiling effect was present. Conclusion The Chinese version CAPS-SF is a theoretically based and culturally acceptable instrument with sound psychometric properties. Further studies are advocated to refine its four-factor structure.
Comparative Analysis of the Development of Acquired Radioresistance in Canine and Human Mammary Cancer Cell Lines

Research using in vitro canine mammary cancer cell lines and naturally-occurring canine mammary tumors are not only fundamental models used to advance the understanding of cancer in veterinary patients, but are also regarded as excellent translational models of human breast cancer. Human breast cancer is commonly treated with radiotherapy; however, tumor response depends on both innate radiosensitivity and on tumor repopulation by cells that develop radioresistance. Comparative canine and human studies investigating the mechanisms of radioresistance may lead to novel cancer treatments that benefit both species. In this study, we developed a canine mammary cancer (REM-134) radioresistant (RR) cell line and investigated the cellular mechanisms related to the development of acquired radioresistance. We performed a comparative analysis of this resistant model with our previously developed human breast cancer radioresistant cell lines (MCF-7 RR, ZR-751 RR, and MDA-MB-231 RR), characterizing inherent differences through genetic, molecular, and cell biology approaches. RR cells demonstrated enhanced invasion/migration capabilities, with phenotypic evidence suggestive of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. Similarities were identified between the REM-134 RR, MCF-7 RR, and ZR-751 RR cell lines in relation to the pattern of expression of both epithelial and mesenchymal genes, in addition to WNT, PI3K, and MAPK pathway activation. Following the development of radioresistance, transcriptomic data indicated that parental MCF-7 and ZR-751 cell lines changed from a luminal A classification to basal/HER2-overexpressing (MCF-7 RR) and normal-like/HER2-overexpressing (ZR-751 RR). These radioresistant subtypes were similar to the REM-134 and REM-134 RR cell lines, which were classified as HER2-overexpressing. To our knowledge, our study is the first to generate a canine mammary cancer RR cell line model and provide a comparative genetic and phenotypic analysis of the mechanisms of acquired radioresistance between canine and human cancer cell lines. We demonstrate that the cellular processes that occur with the development of acquired radioresistance are similar between the human and canine cell lines; our results therefore suggest that the canine model is appropriate to study both human and canine radioresistant mammary cancers, and that treatment strategies used in human medicine may also be applicable to veterinary patients.
In vitro efficacy of garlic extract against Candida albicans biofilms from children with early childhood caries

Introduction: Garlic ( Allium sativum ) is known to be a natural antifungal agent with the ability to penetrate cellular and organelle membranes, resulting in cell death of Candida albicans . Objectives: The aim of the present study was to measure the efficacy of garlic extract against C. albicans biofilms frequently detected in early childhood caries (ECC). Material and methods: Samples of dental biofilms were obtained from children with ECC, cultured in CHROMagar Candida medium, and confirmed using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique. Furthermore, biofilms were established in microplates, incubated for 48 h, and exposed to 10%, 25%, 50%, and 100% garlic extract using 0.2% chlorhexidine (CHX) as a positive control. Cell viability was subsequently measured by the methyl-thiazolyl-tetrazolium (MTT) assay. Results: There was a statistically significant decrease in the viability of C. albicans biofilms at all concentrations of garlic extract ( p ≤ 0.000). Conclusion: Garlic extract is efficacious in reducing the viability of C. albicans biofilms from children with ECC. buccal mucosa, respectively. These results show the potential role of C. albicans in the pathogenesis and progression of ECC [1].
Could Wealth Make Religiosity Less Needed for Subjective Well-Being? A Dual-Path Effect Hypothesis of Religious Faith Versus Practice

Religiosity is important for religious people to maintain their subjective well-being (SWB). We propose a dual-path effect hypothesis to explore different working mechanisms of religious faith and practice on benefiting people’s SWB. Religious faith can promote SWB mainly via an intrinsic meaning-making path although religious practice can promote SWB via both an intrinsic meaning-making path and an extrinsic capital-accumulating path. If the dual-path effect hypothesis stands, then the role of religious practice in influencing SWB should be partly substituted by good economic status, but the role of religious faith should not. Then, only the effect of religious practice would be moderated by wealth. Results show that people’s individual income and national GDP have significant moderating effects on the relationship between religious practice and SWB, but they had no moderating effect on the association between religious faith and SWB, indicating wealth could be an alternative source of accumulating capital and social resources between religious practice and SWB. Results provide important evidence for the dual-path effect hypothesis. The findings uniquely contribute to the literature of religiosity, SWB, and their connections with wealth. Implications for future research are also discussed.
Identification Analysis of Control System Using Programming Language Python

The paper describes the matrix parameters of continuous control system by a regression approach: state -space equation in the continuous or discrete forms. The example of the system regression analysis is discussed according to the example of residual moisture stabilization system of material in a drying apparatus, the structural scheme is given. The coefficients of state space equation are represented by matrix and numeric value. The obtained results are graphically illustrated. The modern and widespread programming language Python and Python Control System Library are used at all stages of research.