Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Detecção de um isolado de Grapevine virus A e caracterização do gene da proteína capsidial

The Grapevine virus A (GVA) is associated with the Kober stem grooving disease, which is part of the grapevine (Vitis spp.) rugose wood complex. In this work, a Brazilian isolate of GVA (GVA-RS) was characterized biologically by mechanical transmission to five herbaceous hosts, by grafting on Kober 5BB grapevine indicator and by serology. Total RNA was extracted from infected grapevine cv Pirovano 65. For a reverse transcribed polymerase chain reaction, two sets of primers were used, resulting in two partially overlapping DNA fragments of 430 and 451 base pairs. The coat protein gene sequence of GVA-RS with 597 nucleotides and 198 deduced amino acids with a predicted Mr of 21.6 kDa, was aligned with those of other viral isolates. The nucleotide and the amino acid sequences of GVA-RS were closest in identity to an Italian isolate, 91.4% and 95.4%, respectively. The GVA-RS exhibited a strong divergence to the vitiviruses Vitivirus Heracleum latent virus (HLV), Grapevine virus B (GVB) and Grapevine virus D (GVD), displaying nucleotide identity of 76% - 83.1%.
Intravascular Imaging in Acute Coronary Syndrome Patients without Significant Stenosis on Coronary Angiography

Intravascular coronary imaging has facilitated the field of interventional cardiology with multiple studies showing the superiority of intravascular image-guided percutaneous coronary interventions for the reduction of lesion revascularization rates. It also aids in understanding the mechanism of myocardial infarction with nonobstructive coronary artery disease. Despite such results, there is a slow adaptation of intravascular imaging use in the real world. We present two cases where intravascular imaging helped in the rapid understanding of the etiology of acute coronary syndrome and facilitated the management of both patients.
Post-Teneral Protein Feeding Improves Sexual Competitiveness But Reduces Longevity of Mass-Reared Sterile Male Mediterranean Fruit Flies (Diptera: Tephritidae)

Abstract The sterile insect technique is gaining an increasing role in the control of Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), populations. In the current study, we examine how post-teneral nutrition during the first 4–8 d after adult emergence affects performance and copulatory success in leks of mass-reared sterile (TSL strain) males. We found that protein and sugar fed males were significantly more likely to emit pheromone (call) in leks, and more likely to copulate, than males fed only sugar. Sterile males, who had access to water and apples after 4 d of feeding on protein and sugar, or sugar alone, were significantly more likely to copulate than their starved competitors who had access to water alone. However, after 24 h of starvation, 4-d protein-fed males suffered a higher mortality than sugar-fed males. More work is necessary to determine the optimal protein formulation that will maintain a balance between hastened mortality and increased sexual competitiveness of sterile males.
Cotargeting CHK1 and PI3K Synergistically Suppresses Tumor Growth of Oral Cavity Squamous Cell Carcinoma in Patient-Derived Xenografts

Oral cavity squamous cell carcinomas (OSCCs) are aggressive tumors, and their recurrence leads to poor prognosis and reduced survival rates. This study aimed to identify therapeutic targets and to evaluate the efficacy of targeted inhibitors in OSCC patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models. Herein, we reported that OSCC PDXs recapitulated the genomic signatures of their paired primary tumors and the expression of CHEK1, PIK3CA, and PIK3CD was significantly upregulated in OSCC. The antitumor efficacy of CHK1 inhibitors (PF477736, AZD7762, LY2606368) and PI3K inhibitors (BYL719, GDC0941, GSK1059615) was investigated in OSCC cell lines and PDX models. Targeting either CHK1 or PI3K effectively inhibited cell proliferation and colony formation by inducing cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in in vitro cell-based assays. Cisplatin-based chemotherapy combined with CHK1 inhibitor treatment synergistically inhibited cell proliferation by suppressing CHK1 phosphorylation and inducing PARP cleavage. Furthermore, compared with monotherapy, cotreatment with CHK1 and PI3K inhibitors exerted synergistic anticancer effects by suppressing CHK1, AKT, and 4E-BP1 phosphorylation. In summary, our study identified CHK1 and PI3K as promising targets, especially in a dual treatment strategy combining a CHK1 inhibitor with cisplatin or a PI3K inhibitor as a novel therapeutic approach for OSCC patients with aberrant cell cycle regulation and PI3K signaling activation.
Effects of land use at a landscape scale on bumblebee nest density and survival

1. We have little idea how landscape-scale factors influence the success of wild bumblebee nests over time. Here for the first time we use molecular markers to estimate within-season changes in the numbers of nests. 2. Workers of two bumblebee species were sampled in an arable landscape in late May–June and late July–August, and the numbers of nests represented in each sample were estimated. We compare the methods available to estimate nest number from such samples and conclude that methods which allow for heterogeneity in the probability of capture of nests provide the best fit to our data. Changes in numbers of nests at the two time points were used to infer nest survival. 3. The two bee species appeared to differ markedly in survival over time, with estimates of 45% of nests surviving for Bombus lapidarius and 91% for B. pascuorum. However, our data suggest that the foraging range of B. pascuorum may be greater in late season, which would lead us to overestimate nest survival in this species. Differential survival may also reflect differences in phenology between the two species. 4. The land use class which had the most consistent effects on nest number and survival was gardens; for B. lapidarius, the area of gardens within a 750 and 1000 m radius positively influenced nest survival, while for B. pascuorum, the number of nests in late samples was higher at sites with more gardens within a 500 and 750-m radius. For B. pascuorum, the area of grassland within a 250 and 500-m radius also positively influenced nest number in late samples, probably because this is the preferred nesting habitat for this species. 5. The importance of gardens is in accordance with previous studies which suggest that they now provide a stronghold for bumblebees in an otherwise impoverished agricultural environment; furthermore, our data suggest that the positive influence of gardens on bumblebee populations can spill over at least 1 km into surrounding farmland. 6. Synthesis and applications. The substantial effects that even small areas of local resources such as rough grassland or clover leys can have on bumblebee nest numbers and survival is of clear relevance for the design of pollinator management strategies.
Evaluation of anti-bacterial properties of ethanol extract of Ficus exasperata leaf

This study evaluated the antibacterial effect of ethanolic extract of Ficus exasperateleaf. Clinical isolates of Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphyllococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumoniae were incubated in agar plates after serial dilutions of the extract were added in wells made in the agar and incubated for 24 h at 37°C. Thereafter, zones of inhibition (in mm) around the wells were measured. The same organisms were tested for sensitivity against standard antibiotics using disk diffusion. The extract demonstrated significant antibacterial activity. It was concluded that the extract had significant antibacterial activity against test organisms with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 250 µg/ml. Its use for treatment of infections by traditional healers is justified. Key words: Ficus exasperata, minimum inhibitory concentration, antibacterial activity, agar dilution.
Scale and macroecological patterns in seed dispersal mutualisms

Although some studies of seed dispersal mutualisms have documented adaptive relationships between fruits and frugivores, others have shown that adaptive patterns are constrained by phylogenetic, historical or climatic effects. Variable results among studies have thwarted attempts to find a paradigm to unite the field and direct research. Two recent studies in Global Ecology and Biogeography exemplify this dichotomy. One paper reported adaptive relationships between abundances of birds and fruits, while the other study found that bird-fruit abundance patterns were constrained by climatic effects. Almost paradoxically, both studies were conducted at the same locale. However, they focused on different spatio-temporal scales. These results are surprisingly consistent with several other recent studies that have taken a macroecological approach. They also indicate that mutualistic relationships between fruits and frugivores are scale dependent. When viewed together, recent work suggests that the conflicting results of previous studies may result from spatio-temporal variability of mutualistic relationships. This paper briefly reviews the emerging field of seed dispersal macroecology. A growing appreciation for scale appears to be leading the field in a new direction.
Peroxisome Proliferator-activated Receptor γ Ligands Inhibit Estrogen Biosynthesis in Human Breast Adipose Tissue: Possible Implications for Breast Cancer Therapy

Estrogen biosynthesis is catalyzed by aromatase cytochrome P-450 (the product of the CYP19 gene). Adipose tissue is the major site of estrogen biosynthesis in postmenopausal women, with the local production of estrogen in breast adipose tissue implicated in the development of breast cancer. In human adipose tissue, aromatase is primarily expressed in the mesenchymal stromal cells and is a marker of the undifferentiated preadipocyte phenotype. Aromatase expression in adipose tissue is regulated via the distal promoter I.4, under the control of glucocorticoids and class I cytokines such as oncostatin M, interleukin 6, and interleukin 11, as well as tumor necrosis factor α. These cytokines, which are expressed in adipose, also inhibit adipocyte differentiation. Therefore, we hypothesized that factors which stimulate adipocyte differentiation should inhibit aromatase expression. These factors include synthetic peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) ligands such as thiazolidinediones, e.g., troglitazone and rosiglitazone (BRL49653) and the endogenous PPARγ ligand 15-deoxy-Δ12,14-prostaglandin J2. We have demonstrated by measurement of aromatase activity and by reverse transcription-PCR/Southern blotting that these PPARγ ligands inhibit aromatase expression in cultured breast adipose stromal cells stimulated with oncostatin M or tumor necrosis factor α plus dexamethasone in a concentration-dependent manner, whereas a metabolite of troglitazone that does not activate PPARγ has no effect. We have also shown that troglitazone inhibits luciferase activity of reporter constructs containing various lengths of the upstream region of promoter I.4 transfected into mouse 3T3-L1 preadipocyte mesenchymal cells, whereas the troglitazone metabolite does not. Because local estrogen production in breast fat is implicated in breast cancer development in postmenopausal women, the actions of PPARγ ligands suggest that they may have potential therapeutic benefit in the treatment and management of breast cancer.
Reducing Persistent Seed Banks of Invasive Plants by Soil Solarization—The Case of Acacia saligna

Abstract An important factor in controlling invasive plant infestations is frequently the acceleration of the deterioration of their persistent seed bank, which is often associated with physical dormancy mechanisms. We hypothesized that breaking dormancy by heat would enhance the vulnerability of the nondormant seeds to hydrothermal stresses. The aim of the present study was to examine the effect of soil solarization treatments (heating the soil by means of polyethylene mulching) on buried Australian Acacia seeds, with emphasis on Acacia saligna L. The results of three field experiments indicate that soil solarization treatments caused an almost complete eradication of buried seeds of Acacia saligna and two other Australian Acacia species, Acacia murrayana and Acacia sclerosperma. The killing mechanism of solarization was further studied in laboratory experiments. We observed two phases of the heat-induced deterioration of seed persistence: breaking the dormancy of the seeds and exposing the “weakened seeds” to lethal temperatures. From an ecological perspective of conservation, the present study shows for the first time the possible utilization of solar energy, by means of soil solarization, for reducing persistent seed banks of invasive woody plants. Nomenclature: Acacia saligna L.
Spatially heterogeneous refugia and predation risk in intertidal salt marshes

The effect of habitat structure on interactions between predators and prey may vary spatially. In estuarine salt marshes, heterogeneity in refuge quality derives from spatial variation in vegetation structure and in tidal inundation. We investigated whether predation by blue crabs on periwinkle snails was influenced by distance from the seaward edge of the salt marsh and by characteristics of the primary habitat structure, smooth cordgrass (Spartina alterniflora). Spartina may provide refuge for snails and interfere with foraging by crabs. Furthermore, predation risk should decline with distance from the seaward edge because landward regions require more travel time for crabs during tidal inundation. We investigated these processes using a comparative survey of snails and habitat traits, an experiment that assessed the crab population and measured predation risk, and a size-structured model that estimated encounter rates. Taken together, these approaches indicated that predation risk for snails was lower where Spartina was present and was lower in a landward direction. Furthermore, Spartina architecture and distance from the seaward edge interacted. The strength of the predation gradient between seaward and landward regions of the marsh was greater where Spartina was tall or dense. These predation gradients emerge because vegetation and distance inland decrease encounter rates between crabs and snails. This study suggests that habitat modification, a process not uncommon in salt marshes, may have consequences for interactions among intertidal fauna.
Impact of Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) Feeding on Tart Cherry (Rosales: Rosaceae) Quality and Yield in Utah

Abstract Brown marmorated stink bug (Halyomorpha halys Stål) is an invasive and economically important agricultural and ornamental insect pest now established in 46 U.S. states. It was first detected in Utah in 2012 and began causing agricultural damage in 2017. Tart cherry (Prunus cerasus Linnaeus) is a major processed agricultural commodity in Utah; yet, its susceptibility to brown marmorated stink bug is unstudied. Limb cages with six brown marmorated stink bug adults, nymphs, or no brown marmorated stink bug were established in a randomized complete block design in a tart cherry orchard to determine feeding impact on different fruit developmental stages. After 1 wk of feeding, half of the fruits in each cage were removed to assess feeding intensity, and the remainder left through maturity to assess marketability and quality. Feeding by adults and nymphs between petal fall and fruit pit hardening, even at feeding pressures as low as 1.7–4.0 feeding sites per fruit, caused 100% abscission of fruits, significantly reducing marketability when compared with the control treatment. For fruits that escaped abscission and matured, few quality differences were detected among treatments, indicating that brown marmorated stink bug feeding caused minimal detectable quality loss to this processed tree fruit crop. We conclude that tart cherries are at risk of abscission with short-term brown marmorated stink bug feeding between petal fall and pit hardening when overwintered adults or F1 nymphs are present in orchards, and suggest that longer-term feeding may be necessary to cause quality and yield reductions after pit hardening.
Tyramide signal amplification mass spectrometry (TSA-MS) ratio identifies nuclear speckle proteins

Dopie et al. apply TSA-MS ratio, an approach that compares the abundance of proteins in nuclear speckles with centromeres to reduce nonspecific background, and show that MFAP1 levels modulate nuclear speckle size and MFAP1 is recruited early to reforming nuclear speckles after mitosis.
An Iron‐Decorated Carbon Aerogel for Rechargeable Flow and Flexible Zn–Air Batteries

Mechanically stable and foldable air cathodes with exceptional oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) activities are key components of wearable metal–air batteries. Herein, a directional freeze‐casting and annealing approach is reported for the construction of a 3D honeycomb nanostructured, N,P‐doped carbon aerogel incorporating in situ grown FeP/Fe2O3 nanoparticles as the cathode in a flexible Zn–air battery (ZAB). The aqueous rechargeable Zn–air batteries assembled with this carbon aerogel exhibit a remarkable specific capacity of 648 mAh g−1 at a current density of 20 mA cm−2 with a good long‐term durability, outperforming those assembled with commercial Pt/C+RuO2 catalyst. Furthermore, such a foldable carbon aerogel with directional channels can serve as a freestanding air cathode for flexible solid‐state Zn–air batteries without the use of carbon paper/cloth and additives, giving a specific capacity of 676 mAh g−1 and an energy density of 517 Wh kg−1 at 5 mA cm−2 together with good cycling stability. This work offers a new strategy to design and synthesize highly effective bifunctional air cathodes to be applied in electrochemical energy devices.
RORα Regulates Cholesterol Metabolism of CD8+ T Cells for Anticancer Immunity

Retinoic acid-related orphan receptor α (RORα) functions as a transcription factor for various biological processes, including circadian rhythm, inflammation, cancer, and lipid metabolism. Here, we demonstrate that RORα is crucial for maintaining cholesterol homeostasis in CD8+ T cells by attenuating NF-κB transcriptional activity. Cholesterol sulfate, the established natural agonist of RORα, exhibits cellular cytotoxicity on, and increased effector responses in, CD8+ T cells. Transcript analysis reveals that the suppression of RORα leads to the upregulation of NF-κB target genes in T cells. Chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis was used to determine the corecruitment of RORα and histone deacetylase (HDAC) on NF-κB target promoters and the subsequent dismissal of coactivators for transcriptional repression. We demonstrate that RORα/HDAC-mediated attenuation of NF-κB signaling controls the balance of cholesterol metabolism in CD8+ T cells, and that therapeutic strategies targeting this epigenetic regulation could be beneficial to the treatment of solid tumors including colon cancers.
Secure Communications for Resource-Constrained IoT Devices †

The importance of securing communications on the Internet of Things (IoT) cannot be overstated. This is especially the case in light of the increasing proliferation of IoT devices and instances, as well as the growing dependence on their usage. Meanwhile, there have recently been mounting concerns over a wide array of vulnerabilities in IoT communications. The objective of this work is to address constraints in IoT devices that are “resource-constrained”, which are devices that are limited in terms of computing, energy, communication, or range capabilities, whether in terms of nominal or temporal limitations. Specifically, we propose a framework for resource-aiding constrained devices to facilitate secure communication. Without loss of generalization, the framework’s viability is illustrated by focusing on a group of security functions that utilize message authentication codes, which is a strongly representative example of resource-intensive security functions. Aspects of the framework are further demonstrated in processing cores commonly used in commercial IoT devices.
Reticulate evolution : symbiogenesis, lateral gene transfer, hybridization and infectious heredity

Reticulate Evolution Everywhere. - Can We Understand Evolution Without Symbiogenesis? - Symbiosis: Evolution's Co-Author. - Novel Endosymbioses as a Catalyst of Fast Speciation. - Historical and Epistemological Perspectives on What Lateral Gene Transfer Mechanisms Contribute to Our Understanding of Evolution. - Plasmids: Histories of a Concept. - Symbiosis Between Non-Transferable Plasmids and Prokaryote Cells. - Host-Symbiont-Pathogen-Host Interactions: Wolbachia, Vector-Transmitted Human Pathogens and the Importance of Quantitative Models of Multipartite Coevolution. - Evolution of The Human Microbiome and Impacts on Human Health, Infectious Disease and Hominid Evolution. - Divergence-With-Gene-Flow: What Humans and Other Mammals Got Up To. - A Multiset Model of Multi-Species Evolution to Solve Big Deceptive Problems.
Diarrhoea causing E. coli in pasteurized milk.

Seventy five of eighty pasteurized milk samples collected from local market of a city of northern India were positive for blue black colonies having greenish metallic sheen on EMB selective medium presuming them as E.coli. However, 54 (67.5%) of them were characterized as E.coli biochemically. The segment of pal gene, which is conserved in all E.coli, was amplified by PCR assay that enhanced the number of E.coli positive samples to 64 (85.3%) and highlighted the superiority of the PCR over biochemical identification. These 64 E.coli isolates were further characterized by PCR assay using gene specific primers and amplification of the eae gene of enterohaemorrhagic E.coli (EHEC) and LT and ST toxin coding genes of enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC). Of these, 18 were confirmed as EHEC, 2 as LT toxin producing ETEC and 44 as other types of E. coli. PCR technique proved to be a rapid and specific alternative of E.coli identification and characterization into EHEC and ETEC. Antimicrobial sensitivity test revealed resistance of E. coli isolates to erythromycin (44/64; 68.7%), cephradine (38/64; 59.4%) and ceftazidine (21; 32.8%) and sensitivity to ofloxacin (56/64; 87.5%), ciprofloxacin (58/64; 90.6%) and norfloxacin (62/64; 96.8%).
Should Shareholders Fear Citizens United? External Financial Monitoring and Corporate Political Contributions

We examine the effects of external monitoring via analyst coverage on corporate political contributions. To establish causality, we utilize a difference-in-difference model based on two exogenous shocks to analyst coverage resulting from brokerage mergers and closures. We also implement a dynamic systems GMM model and an instrumental variable approach to further address endogeneity concerns. All identification strategies suggest a negative effect of analyst coverage on contributions. We explore underlying channels and find that analyst coverage can reduce agency-related political contributions in well governed firms with long term compensation incentives, and seems to be driven by Republican-leaning firms. Taken together, these findings suggest that concerns over Citizens United can be ameliorated by effective outside monitoring and proposed improvements in transparency, without the need for congressional attempts at repeal. JEL Classification: D72, G24, G28, G34, K16