Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Wild Panax plants adapt to their thermal environment by harboring abundant beneficial seed endophytic bacteria

The seed microbiome of crop wild relatives is a potential reservoir of beneficial traits that potentially improve their host plant resilience to fluctuating environments and pathogenic threats. Herein, we studied the seed microbiome of three species of the medicinal genus Panax (P. vietnamensis, P. japonicas, and P. stipuleanatus) collected from seven locations in Southwest China. We used qPCR and metabarcoding high-throughput sequencing to target both endophytic bacteria and fungi. Seed bacterial absolute abundance (1.1 × 109∼1.0 × 107 gene copy numbers per gram seed) was substantially higher than that of fungi (7.6 × 105∼3.7 × 102). Host plant genotype was the main driver of seed microbiome composition for both bacteria and fungi. Panax growing hypothermal environments significantly shaped their seed endophytic bacterial but not fungal microbiota. The three Panax species’ seeds harbored unique microbes [averaged ∼150 amplicon sequence variants (ASVs)], sharing only 12 bacterial ASVs (half affiliated to Halomonas) and four fungal ASVs. Network analysis showed that the Panax seed endophytic bacteria tend to form inter-weaved functional modules that are majorly connected by core members from the genus Halomonas, Pseudomonas, and Pantoea. These genera have been associated with nutrient cycling, plant, disease suppression, and tolerance to environmental fluctuation. Together, these novel insights may shade light on the ecological strategies of wild Panax plants adaptation to their thermal environment by possessing abundant beneficial seed endophytic bacteria.
An intensive, structured, mobile devices-based healthcare intervention to optimize the lipid-lowering therapy improves lipid control after an acute coronary syndrome

Aims Despite the evidence, lipid-lowering treatment (LLT) in secondary prevention remains insufficient, and a low percentage of patients achieve the recommended LDL cholesterol (LDLc) levels by the guidelines. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of an intensive, mobile devices-based healthcare lipid-lowering intervention after hospital discharge in patients hospitalized for acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Methods and results Ambiespective register in which a mobile devices-based healthcare intervention including periodic follow-up, serial lipid level controls, and optimization of lipid-lowering therapy, if appropriate, was assessed in terms of serum lipid-level control at 12 weeks after discharge. A total of 497 patients, of which 462 (93%) correctly adhered to the optimization protocol, were included in the analysis. At the end of the optimization period, 327 (70.7%) patients had LDLc levels ≤ 70 mg/dL. 40% of patients in the LDLc ≤ 70 mg/dL group were upgraded to very-high intensity lipid-lowering ability therapy vs. 60.7% in the LDLc > 70 mg/dL group, p < 0.001. Overall, 38.5% of patients had at least a change in their LLT. Side effects were relatively infrequent (10.7%). At 1-year follow-up, LDLc levels were measured by the primary care physician in 342 (68.8%) of the whole cohort of 497 patients. In this group, 71.1% of patients had LDLc levels ≤ 70 mg/dL. Conclusion An intensive, structured, mobile devices-based healthcare intervention after an ACS is associated with more than 70% of patients reaching the LDLc levels recommended by the clinical guidelines. In patients with LDLc measured at 1-year follow-up, 71.1% had LDLc levels ≤ 70 mg/dL.
Applications of Arti ﬁ cial Intelligence Based on Medical Imaging in Glioma: Current State and Future Challenges

Glioma is one of the most fatal primary brain tumors, and it is well-known for its dif ﬁ culty in diagnosis and management. Medical imaging techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET), and spectral imaging can ef ﬁ ciently aid physicians in diagnosing, treating, and evaluating patients with gliomas. With the increasing clinical records and digital images, the application of arti ﬁ cial intelligence (AI) based on medical imaging has reduced the burden on physicians treating gliomas even further. This review will classify AI technologies and procedures used in medical imaging analysis. Additionally, we will discuss the applications of AI in glioma, including tumor segmentation and classi ﬁ cation, prediction of genetic markers, and prediction of treatment response and prognosis, using MRI, PET, and spectral imaging. Despite the bene ﬁ ts of AI in clinical applications, several issues such as data management, incomprehension, safety, clinical ef ﬁ cacy evaluation, and ethical or legal considerations, remain to be solved. In the future, doctors and researchers should collaborate to solve these issues, with a particular emphasis on interdisciplinary teamwork.
Natural killer cells: the next wave in cancer immunotherapy

Immunotherapies focusing on rejuvenating T cell activities, like PD-1/PD-L1 and CTLA-4 blockade, have unprecedentedly revolutionized the landscape of cancer treatment. Yet a previously underexplored component of the immune system - natural killer (NK) cell, is coming to the forefront of immunotherapeutic attempts. In this review, we discuss the contributions of NK cells in the success of current immunotherapies, provide an overview of the current preclinical and clinical strategies at harnessing NK cells for cancer treatment, and highlight that NK cell-mediated therapies emerge as a major target in the next wave of cancer immunotherapy.
Tailored GuideLine Implementation in STrokE Rehabilitation (GLISTER) in Germany. Protocol of a Mixed Methods Study Using the Behavior Change Wheel and the Theoretical Domains Framework

Objective Evidence-based guidelines are important for informing clinical decision-making and improving patient outcomes. There is inconsistent usage of guidelines among physical therapists involved in stroke rehabilitation, suggesting the existence of a gap between theory and practice. Addressing the German guideline “evidence-based rehabilitation of mobility after stroke (ReMoS),” the aims of this project are (1) to describe the current physical therapy practice within the context of stroke rehabilitation in Germany, (2) to evaluate barriers and facilitators of guideline usage, (3) to develop, and (4) to pilot test a theory-based, tailored implementation intervention for the benefit of guideline recommendations. Materials and Methods This study uses a stepwise mixed methods approach for implementing a local guideline. A self-reported online questionnaire will be used to survey the current physical therapy practice in stroke rehabilitation. The same survey and systematic-mixed methods review will be used to evaluate the barriers and facilitators of guideline usage quantitatively. Semi-structured interviews will add a qualitative perspective on factors that influence ReMoS guideline implementation. The Behavior Change Wheel and Theoretical Domains Framework will be used to support the development of a tailored implementation intervention which will be pilot tested in a controlled study. Patient and physical therapy-related outcomes, as well as the appropriateness, such as acceptance and feasibility of the tailored implementation intervention, will be analyzed. Conclusion This will be the first endeavor to implement a guideline in German stroke rehabilitation with a focus on changing care provider behavior based on the knowledge of current practice and determining factors using a tailored and theory-based intervention.
Phenotypic and Genotypic Diversity of Ascochyta fabae Populations in Southern Australia

Ascochyta fabae Speg. is a serious foliar fungal disease of faba bean and a constraint to production worldwide. This study investigated the phenotypic and genotypic diversity of the A. fabae pathogen population in southern Australia and the pathogenic variability of the population was examined on a differential set of faba bean cultivars. The host set was inoculated with 154 A. fabae isolates collected from 2015 to 2018 and a range of disease reactions from high to low aggressiveness was observed. Eighty percent of isolates collected from 2015 to 2018 were categorized as pathogenicity group (PG) PG-2 (pathogenic on Farah) and were detected in every region in each year of collection. Four percent of isolates were non-pathogenic on Farah and designated as PG-1. A small group of isolates (16%) were pathogenic on the most resistant differential cultivars, PBA Samira or Nura, and these isolates were designated PG-3. Mating types of 311 isolates collected between 1991 and 2018 were determined and showed an equal ratio of MAT1–1 and MAT1–2 in the southern Australian population. The genetic diversity and population structure of 305 isolates were examined using DArTseq genotyping, and results suggest no association of genotype with any of the population descriptors viz.: collection year, region, host cultivar, mating type, or PG. A Genome-Wide Association Study (GWAS) was performed to assess genetic association with pathogenicity traits and a significant trait-associated genomic locus for disease in Farah AR and PBA Zahra, and PG was revealed. The high frequency of mating of A. fabae indicated by the wide distribution of the two mating types means changes to virulence genes would be quickly distributed to other genotypes. Continued monitoring of the A. fabae pathogen population through pathogenicity testing will be important to identify any increases in aggressiveness or emergence of novel PGs. GWAS and future genetic studies using biparental mating populations could be useful for identifying virulence genes responsible for the observed changes in pathogenicity.
Research on the influence mechanism of creative time pressure on employee knowledge hiding: Evidence from creative service enterprises in China

Employee knowledge sharing is critical to the success of creative service enterprises. However, knowledge hiding is prevalent in creative service enterprises. Using 381 advertising agency employees as respondents, we explored the mechanism of action of creative time pressure affecting knowledge hiding. We constructed a regulated dual-path model by drawing on affective event theory, with work passion as a mediating variable and team psychological safety climate as a moderating variable. The results show that creative time pressure increases employees’ knowledge hiding; creative time pressure mitigates knowledge hiding through the effect of harmonious passion, while obsessive passion enhances employees’ knowledge hiding; team psychological safety climate can regulate the relationship between creative time pressure and two types of work passion and the strength of the two paths. Therefore, the mediating effect of harmonious passion is stronger in a high team psychological safety climate, while the mediating effect of obsessive passion is stronger in a low team psychological safety climate.
Multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa is predisposed to lasR mutation through up-regulated activity of efflux pumps in non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis patients

Background Multidrug-resistant (MDR) Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a frequent opportunistic pathogen that causes significant mortality in patients with non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis (NCFB). Although the quorum sensing (QS) system is a potential target for treatment, lasR mutants that present with a QS-deficient phenotype have been frequently reported among clinical P. aeruginosa isolates. We aimed to investigate whether antibiotic resistance would select for lasR mutants during chronic P. aeruginosa lung infection and determine the mechanism underlying the phenomenon. Methods We prospectively evaluated episodes of chronic P. aeruginosa lung infections in NCFB patients over a 2-year period at two centers of our institution. QS phenotypic assessments and whole-genome sequencing (WGS) of P. aeruginosa isolates were performed. Evolution experiments were conducted to confirm the emergence of lasR mutants in clinical MDR P. aeruginosa cultures. Results We analyzed episodes of P. aeruginosa infection among 97 NCFB patients and found only prior carbapenem exposure independently predictive of the isolation of MDR P. aeruginosa strains. Compared with non-MDR isolates, MDR isolates presented significantly QS-deficient phenotypes, which could not be complemented by the exogenous addition of 3OC12-HSL. The paired isolates showed that their QS-phenotype deficiency occurred after MDR was developed. Whole-genome sequencing analysis revealed that lasR nonsynonymous mutations were significantly more frequent in MDR isolates, and positive correlations of mutation frequencies were observed between genes of lasR and negative-efflux-pump regulators (nalC and mexZ). The addition of the efflux pump inhibitor PAβN could not only promote QS phenotypes of these MDR isolates but also delay the early emergence of lasR mutants in evolution experiments. Conclusions Our data indicated that MDR P. aeruginosa was predisposed to lasR mutation through the upregulated activity of efflux pumps. These findings suggest that anti-QS therapy combined with efflux pump inhibitors might be a potential strategy for NCFB patients in the challenge of MDR P. aeruginosa infections.
Integration of machine learning with complex industrial mining systems for reduced energy consumption

The deep-level mining industry is experiencing narrowing profit margins due to increasing operating costs and decreasing production. The industry is known for its lack of dynamic control across complex integrated systems running deep underground, making IoT technologies difficult to implement. An important integrated system in a typical underground mine is the refrigeration-ventilation system. In practice, the two systems are still controlled independently, often due to a lack of continuous measurements. However, their integrated effects ultimately affect energy usage and production. This study develops and compares various machine learning prediction techniques to predict the integrated behavior of a key component operating on the boundary of the refrigeration-ventilation system, while also addressing the lack of continuous measurements. The component lacks sensors and the developed industrial machine learning models negate the effect thereof using integrated control. The predictive models are compared based on accuracy, prediction time, as well as the amount of data required to obtain the required level of accuracy. The “Support Vector Machines” method achieved the lowest average error (1.97%), but the “Artificial Neural Network” method is more robust (with a maximum percentage error of 12.90%). A potential energy saving of 215 kW or 2.9% of the ventilation and refrigeration system, equivalent to R1.33-million per annum ($82 9001) is achievable using the “Support Vector Machines” method.
Differential effects of psychological distress on mitigation and vaccination: A public health conundrum

CDC-recommended mitigation behaviors and vaccination status were assessed in an online sample (N = 810; ages 18–80). Results were consistent with a differential distress hypothesis positing that whereas psychological distress, which is induced in part by social deprivation, interferes with mitigation behaviors involving social distancing, it motivates vaccination, in part because it, in turn, can increase social interaction. Age modulated these effects. Despite the greater risk of severe consequences, older adults not only showed less distress, but compared to younger participants with equivalent levels of distress, the older adults showed less effect of distress on both social distancing and vaccination status. Together these findings highlight a conundrum faced in public health messaging. Traditional “fear messages” may be less effective for older adults, who are most in danger, whereas in younger adults, the distress induced by fear messages may motivate vaccination but diminish mitigation behaviors needed to prevent subsequent “breakthrough” infections.
EEG response in humans for frequency-tagged anticorrelated random-dot stereograms: Increased coherency and alpha oscillations

In humans, the presence of a neural mechanism triggered by anticorrelated random-dot stereograms have been theorized based on animal models from invasive studies, but have not been experimentally verified with the use of electroencephalography. In this study, we employed a phase-consistent, temporally modulated alternating depth stereogram stimulus, where we created anticorrelation by inverting the contrast between the eyes. We recorded the electrical response of the resulting brain oscillations of our four participants using EEG in both the correlated and anticorrelated conditions and whether they perceived depth movement. Our analysis found that the correlated stereograms elicited a strong coherency at the even harmonics of the depth alternation, and the anticorrelated stimulus created lower coherency peaks at the first harmonic of the depth alternation, even when participants did not report the depth movement to be visible. While both conditions created a diminishment of spectral power in the beta band, we found that the anticorrelated condition created increased spectral power in the alpha band. We experimentally verified the presence of a neural mechanism triggered by anticorrelated random-dot stereograms in the human brain with our coherency analysis and that it would not have been detected with the conventional spectral analysis due to the weakness of the response. We hypothesize that the decreased beta oscillations are related to either visual discomfort and visual attention to our stimulus, and that the increased alpha oscillations in the anticorrelated condition is a response to the incorrect depth information created by the stereogram.
Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) ≤60 Is Strongly Associated With Shorter Brain-Specific Progression-Free Survival Among Patients With Metastatic Breast Cancer With Brain Metastases

Objective To examine the association between Karnofsky Performance Status (“KPS”) and brain-specific progression-free survival (“bsPFS”) among patients with breast cancer brain metastases (“BCBrM”). Methods Using a previously compiled retrospective cohort of 683 patients who were treated for BCBrM with surgery and/or radiotherapy at the Sunnybrook Odette Cancer Centre from 2008-2018, electronic records were reviewed to impute KPS scores at the time of BCBrM diagnosis. Patients were then grouped into KPS ≤60 and KPS >60 cohorts. The dataset was analyzed to identify variables that were prognostic for bsPFS and/or overall survival (“OS”) using univariable and multivariable Cox proportional hazards models. Results The mean age of patients was 57 (range 24-93). Most patients (n=622, 91%) had extracranial metastatic disease and 174 (25%) had leptomeningeal disease. 247 patients (36%) had hormone receptor (“HR”)-positive/human endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (“HER2”)-negative tumours, 189 (28%) had HER2-positive disease, and 153 (22%) had triple-negative breast cancer. Of the 331 patients (48%) who could be assigned a KPS cohort, 102 (31%) had KPS ≤60. Most patients were treated with whole brain radiotherapy (n=498, 73%) and/or stereotactic radiosurgery (“SRS”) (n=128, 19%). Median bsPFS was 9 months (95% CI 8-10 months) and median OS was not reached. In univariable analyses, KPS ≤60, presence of leptomeningeal disease, neurological symptoms, ≥2 brain metastases, and not undergoing SRS were factors associated with shorter bsPFS. In a multivariable analysis, KPS ≤60 was the only statistically significant determinant of bsPFS (HR 1.86, 95% CI 1.20-2.88). Although survival data was limited, KPS ≤60 was associated with shorter OS in both univariable (HR 3.12, 95% CI 1.85-5.26) and multivariable (HR 2.95, 95% CI 1.55-5.58) analyses. Conclusion Patients with BCBrM who have a KPS ≤60 have significantly shorter bsPFS and OS than those with KPS >60. KPS should be documented routinely at the time of diagnosis of brain metastases to improve prognostication.
Si decline and diatom evolution: Insights from physiological experiments

In today’s oceans, diatoms are abundant and diverse primary producers distinguished by their silica shells. Although molecular clocks suggest that diatoms arose as much as 250 million years ago (Ma), the earliest known diatom fossils date from 190 Ma, leading to the suggestion that early diatoms were at best lightly silicified. By the Cretaceous Period, large circular (in cross section) diatoms with highly silicified frustules thrived in surface oceans, only later to be joined by species with elongated and thinner frustules, as well as lower SiO2 content. Decreased Si availability in surface oceans has been proposed as a principal driver of diatom evolution. Here, we investigate this through physiological experiments assessing the functional acclimation response of diatoms to reconstructed paleo-seawater. Four diatom species, differing in size and shape, were acclimated to reconstructed paleoenvironments mimicking Mesozoic/Cenozoic concentrations of nutrients in the presence of different Si regimes. When exposed to 500 µM Si, all populations, save for that of Conticribra weissflogii, became more highly silicified; the higher Si content per cell at 500 µM Si coincided with slower growth in small-sized cells. All species except C. weissflogii also showed lower photosynthetic efficiency as well as greater cell volume in comparison with diatoms acclimated to 205 or 25 µM Si. Average cell stoichiometry correlates with cell shape, but not size; pennates, in particular Phaeodactylum tricornutum, showed an acclimatory response to Si regimes, modulating Si use efficiency (the lower the external Si concentrations, the higher the C and N quotas per Si). Experimental data suggest that in the densely silicified and bigger C. weissflogii grown at higher Si, diffusion of silicic acid across membranes made a larger contribution to Si uptake, saving energy which could be reallocated into growth. In contrast, for less highly silicified and smaller species, high energy costs of Si homeostasis needed to prevent the overaccumulation of intracellular Si limited growth. While our experimental species reacted individualistically to changing silica availability, with distinct levels of plasticity, selective pressure associated with the temporal decline in Si availability may well have favored elongated shapes. Modern, less silicified species are unable to exploit high Si concentrations.