Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Scanning electron microscopy of the cypris larvae of Capitulum mitella (Cirripedia: Thoracica: Scalpellomorpha)

Adult specimens of Capitulum mitella were collected in August 2011 in the intertidal zone of Dinghai, Fuzhou, Fujian, China (26°16′N 119°48′E). The morphology of the cypris larva reared under our conditions was determined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Special emphasis was given to the carapace, lattice organs, antennules, thoracopods and furcal rami. The whole carapace surface is sculptured by slender ridges demarcating rectangular or irregular polygonal areas with very fine pores. The cyprid possesses five pairs of lattice organs, arranged as two anterior and three posterior pairs. The second segment carries a preaxial seta 2 and a postaxial seta 2. The third segment carries a postaxial seta 3 outside the attachment disc, whereas a postaxial disc seta, an axial disc seta and two radial disc setae are located inside the attachment disc. The attachment disc is somewhat bell shaped. A series of slender cuticular flaps forms a distinct ‘velum’ around the base of the disc. The fourth segment carries four subterminal setae and five terminal setae. The cyprid bears six pairs of biramous natatory thoracopods consisting of a protopod (coxa + basis), a two-segmented exopod and a two-segmented endopod. The cyprid possesses a rudimentary abdomen and an almost completely cleaved telson with a pair of one-segmented furcal rami. The morphology and setation of the antennules of C. mitella resemble those of Balanus amphitrite (=Amphibalanus amphitrite) and Megabalanus rosa, but differ in some morphological details.
Effects of low doses of UV-B radiation supplementation on tuber quality in purple potato (Solanum tuberosum L.)

ABSTRACT UV-B is an important environmental factor that differentially affects plant growth and secondary metabolites. However, our knowledge regarding the physiological and biochemical changes in under-ground plant organs responded to UV-B treatment remains limited. In this study, we investigated potato plant (Solanum tuberosum L.) and tuber responses to short-term supplemental UV-B exposure performed during tuber development. Our results indicated that the supplemental UV-B radiation with relative low dose had no obvious adverse impact on plant growth or tuber production. Nutritional composition analyses of tubers revealed that the contents of starch, soluble sugars, and proteins were significantly increased under lower UV-B radiation relative to controls. Similarly, low dose of UV-B treatment promoted the health-promoting compounds, including anthocyanin, phenols, and flavonoids in tubers. Moreover, higher activities of antioxidant enzymes were significantly induced in tubers in response to lower UV-B radiation. These findings suggest that short-term UV-B radiation supplementation at relative low doses can improve the tuber quality in potato plants.
Habitat use by triplefin species (Tripterygiidae) on rocky reefs in New Zealand

Habitat use and nesting sites of 12 triplefin species (Tripterygiidae) were investigated at 26 coastal and offshore rocky reef locations in north-eastern New Zealand. Within these locations, 17 broad-scale habitats and 14 fine-scale habitats were surveyed using visual transects. In terms of broad-scale habitat use, four species, Notoclinops segmentatus, Forsterygion lapillum, Forsterygion varium and Ruanoho whero showed a high similarity in distribution, irrespective of depth or habitat characteristics. The distributions of Bellapiscis lesleyae, Cryptichthys jojettae and Ruanoho decemdigitatus were relatively similar, being primarily confined to shallow habitats providing a high degree of shelter. Forsterygion flavonigrum, Forsterygion malcolmi and Notoclinops caerulepunctus were all predominantly found beyond 10 m, irrespective of habitat characteristics. Despite the majority of species using several distinct fine-scale habitats, a high degree of variation was apparent between species, with the majority of species showing extremely low overlap of fine-scale habitats used. Differences in fine-scale habitat use were not apparent when comparing the nesting sites of species. All nests were found in fine-scale habitats, presumably affording a high degree of shelter from predation and physical disturbance. Interspecific partitioning of spatial resources probably occurs by depth and microhabitat in this species assemblage in north-eastern New Zealand.
Feasibility and Impact of a Yoga Intervention on Cognition, Physical Function, Physical Activity, and Affective Outcomes among People Living with HIV: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial

The purpose of this pilot randomized controlled trial is to assess the feasibility and impact of a triweekly 12-week yoga intervention among people living with HIV (PLWH). Additional objectives included evaluating cognition, physical function, medication adherence, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and mental health among yoga participants versus controls using blinded assessors. We recruited 22 medically stable PLWH aged ≥35 years. A priori feasibility criteria were ≥70% yoga session attendance and ≥70% of participants satisfied with the intervention using a postparticipation questionnaire. Two participants withdrew from the yoga group. Mean yoga class attendance was 82%, with 100% satisfaction. Intention-to-treat analyses (yoga n = 11, control n = 11) showed no within- or between-group differences in cognitive and physical function. The yoga group improved over time in HRQoL cognition (P = .047) with trends toward improvements in HRQoL health transition (P =.063) and depression (P = .055). This pilot study provides preliminary evidence of feasibility and benefits of yoga for PLWH.
Ash in forage, esophageal, and fecal samples analyzed using near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy

In study of the plant-animal interface, knowledge of the organic fraction of pasture, esophageal, and fecal samples can help predict energy intake and digestion. Ashing of the large sample volumes necessary to conduct interface studies, however, is cumbersome and impratical. This study was initiated to examine the use of nearinfrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) as a means of predicting ash concentration in pasture, esophageal, and fecal samples
Hepatocyte Growth Factor Induces Wnt-independent Nuclear Translocation of β-Catenin after Met-β-Catenin Dissociation in Hepatocytes

Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and Wnt signaling pathways have been shown to be important in embryogenesis and carcinogenesis. The aim of this study was to elucidate the mechanism of functional similarities observed in the two pathways. We used normal rat liver, primary hepatocyte cultures and a dominant-negative Met expression system to study the effect of HGF on Wnt pathway components. We demonstrate novel association of β-catenin and Met, a tyrosine kinase receptor of HGF, at the inner surface of the hepatocyte membrane. HGF induces dose-dependent nuclear translocation of β-catenin in primary hepatocyte cultures that is Wnt independent. The source of β-catenin for translocation in hepatocytes is the Met-β-catenin complex, which appears to be independent of the E-cadherin-β-catenin complex. To test the functionality of this association, we used a dominant-negative Met expression system that expresses only the extracellular and transmembrane regions of the β-subunit of Met. A loss of Met-β-catenin association resulted in abrogation of nuclear translocation of β-catenin upon HGF stimulation. This event is tyrosine phosphorylation dependent, and the association of Met and β-catenin is crucial for this event. We conclude that the HGF causes similar redistribution of β-catenin as Wnt-1 in the hepatocytes and that this effect is attributable to subcellular association of Met and β-catenin. The intracellular kinase domain of Met is essential for tyrosine phosphorylation and nuclear translocation of β-catenin. Part of the multifunctionality of HGF might be attributable to nuclear β-catenin and the resulting target gene expression.
Evolving trends in the prevalence of hepatitis C virus antibody positivity among HIV‐infected men in a community‐based primary care setting

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections in the United States occurred mostly among those born between 1945 and 1965. However, new infections continue to increase in recent years. To understand the changes in the prevalence and risk factors of HCV infection in different age and risk groups among men living with HIV, we performed a retrospective cross‐sectional analyses of 1948 HIV‐infected men at a multisite community health centre in urban/suburban and rural Maryland from 2003 through 2014. We used multivariate logistic regression to determine factors associated with HCV antibody (anti‐HCV) positivity and restricted cubic spline method to model trends in anti‐HCV prevalence over time. The overall anti‐HCV prevalence was 24.2%. The annual prevalence declined in the full cohort, from 38% in 2003 to 24% in 2014, and among those ≥ 40 years old. However, the annual prevalence increased initially and then stabilized in the groups of men who were younger (<40 years old) or had injection‐drug use and/or sex with men. Among the younger injection‐drug users, the prevalence rose from 33% in 2003 to 79% in 2009 and then stabilized. The independent predictors for anti‐HCV positivity differed between the men with and without injection‐drug use and between those < 40 and ≥ 40 years old. Notably, a high prevalence of anti‐HCV was observed among the younger, white injection‐drug users residing in rural areas. Thus, the HCV epidemic continued unabated among high‐risk individuals in this diverse population of HIV‐infected men. The ongoing HCV transmission among young HIV‐infected men poses a challenge en route to HCV eradication.
How to deal with the suffering: Utility of an emotional containment strategy to collect data for verbal autopsies in Mexico

Abstract Verbal autopsies are often used to establish cause of death but can be emotionally taxing on the interviewers. We conducted focus groups with interviewers (N = 15) who collected data for verbal autopsies in Mexico in order to explore the utility of an emotional containment strategy designed to boost self-confidence and resilience. The interviewers reflected on broader cultural perspectives on illness and death and described the strategy as helpful in developing strategies to manage emotionally stressful situations and develop their confidence in their work performance. This type of intervention may be useful for field personnel who perform verbal autopsy interviews. KEY MESSAGES In low- and middle-income countries with less reliable statistics systems, a significant proportion of deaths is not certified by a professional doctor. This complicates the registration of causes of death, which is a crucial issue for health systems. In the absence of reliable vital statistics systems, verbal autopsies (VA) offer an alternative for establishing cause of death. In response to emotional crises leading to resignations among the interviewers while testing an instrument for collecting VA, we designed an emotional containment strategy (ECS). It was specifically crafted to boost the self-confidence and resilience of participants in addition to enhancing their capacity for emotional recovery and to regain a functional state. In order to explore ECS results we conducted a qualitative cross-sectional study with four focus groups of interviewers who collected VA. The results obtained were positive, the interviewers were able to perform their work better by overcoming the emotional crisis that occurred both in them and in the people they interviewed. We recommend developing this type of intervention with all field staff performing verbal autopsy interviews, not only as a resource for emotional health, but also as a means of achieving better-quality data collection.
Models to predict the General Yield Class of Douglas fir, Japanese larch and Scots pine on better quality land in Scotland

Summary Recent changes in forestry incentives mean that there is potential for an increase in afforestation on better quality agricultural land in Scotland. As a result improved information is required about timber yields from a range of species on better quality sites for production forecasting, financial appraisal, and planning at the local, regional and strategic levels. This paper describes the development of models that enable General Yield Class (GYC) to be predicted from site factors for Douglas fir, Japanese larch and Scots pine. Temporary sample plots were established in stands below 350 m on Land Capability for Forestry class I to V sites. At each location GYC was assessed, as well as the soil, climate and topographic factors which had been demonstrated to influence forest productivity in earlier studies in Scotland. The models, based on a step-wise multiple regression procedure, indicate that mean spring temperature, geomorphic shelter (topex), and crop age are most important in determining the productivity of Douglas fir and Japanese larch. For Scots pine, mean spring temperature, mean winter temperature, and crop age are the most important factors. The models accounted for between 34 and 45 per cent of variation in General Yield Class and are sufficiently precise for estimating mean productivity at regional and national levels.
Monocular Visual SLAM Based on a Cooperative UAV–Target System

To obtain autonomy in applications that involve Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), the capacity of self-location and perception of the operational environment is a fundamental requirement. To this effect, GPS represents the typical solution for determining the position of a UAV operating in outdoor and open environments. On the other hand, GPS cannot be a reliable solution for a different kind of environments like cluttered and indoor ones. In this scenario, a good alternative is represented by the monocular SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) methods. A monocular SLAM system allows a UAV to operate in a priori unknown environment using an onboard camera to simultaneously build a map of its surroundings while at the same time locates itself respect to this map. So, given the problem of an aerial robot that must follow a free-moving cooperative target in a GPS denied environment, this work presents a monocular-based SLAM approach for cooperative UAV–Target systems that addresses the state estimation problem of (i) the UAV position and velocity, (ii) the target position and velocity, (iii) the landmarks positions (map). The proposed monocular SLAM system incorporates altitude measurements obtained from an altimeter. In this case, an observability analysis is carried out to show that the observability properties of the system are improved by incorporating altitude measurements. Furthermore, a novel technique to estimate the approximate depth of the new visual landmarks is proposed, which takes advantage of the cooperative target. Additionally, a control system is proposed for maintaining a stable flight formation of the UAV with respect to the target. In this case, the stability of control laws is proved using the Lyapunov theory. The experimental results obtained from real data as well as the results obtained from computer simulations show that the proposed scheme can provide good performance.
Arabidopsis VIP6/ELF8, the homolog of CTR9 component of the transcriptional complex PAF1, is essential for plant development

The VERNALIZATION INDEPENDENCE 6 (VIP6)/EARLY FLOWERING 8 (ELF8) gene of Arabidopsis thaliana encodes a protein homologous to CYCLIN THREE REQUIRING 9 (CTR9) component of the yeast transcriptional complex, RNA polymerase II-associated factor 1 (PAF1). It has been demonstrated that mutation alleles in the VIP6/ELF8 show early flowering phenotype, as well as other pleiotropic developmental defects. Here, we provide evidence that seeds with vip6/elf8 homozygous mutations were rarely obtained in all three independent lines of T-DNA insertion. Although viable seeds with homozygous mutant alleles were rarely obtained, they showed pleiotropic phenotype like mutants of other PAF1-related genes, and were sterile. These results suggest that the VIP6/ELF8 gene is essential for plant development.
Looking out for myself: Exploring the relationship between conspiracy mentality, perceived personal risk, and COVID‐19 prevention measures

Objectives This research examined how conspiracy mentality may affect compliance with preventive health measures necessary to fight the COVID‐19 pandemic, and the underlying motivations to comply. Design and Method We conducted two cross‐sectional studies (Study 1 N = 762, Study 2 N = 229) on a French population, measuring conspiracy mentality, compliance with preventive health measures, and perceived risks related to COVID‐19. We also measured motivations to comply with preventive measures in Study 2. Results We show that people high in conspiracy mentality are likely to engage in non‐normative prevention behaviours (Study 1), but are less willing to comply with extreme preventive behaviours that are government‐driven (Study 2). However, we demonstrate that a perceived risk to oneself (risk of death) and a motivation to protect oneself can act as a suppressor: Conspiracy mentality is linked with an increase in the perception of risk to oneself, which, in turn, is associated with normative compliance. We also find that perceived risk of death explains the relationship between conspiracy mentality and non‐normative prevention behaviours. Conclusions Our studies showcase how people high in conspiracy theorizing may (dis)engage with prevention behaviours, but that perceived risk and motivation to protect oneself could increase these individuals’ compliance.
Expression levels of the α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor in the brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease and their effect on synaptic proteins in SH-SY5Y cells

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a chronic neurodegenerative, and abnormal aggregation of the neurotoxic β amyloid (Aβ) peptide is an early event in AD. The present study aimed to determine the correlation between the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor α7 subunit (α7 nAChR) and Aβ in the brains of patients with AD, and to investigate whether the increased expression levels of the α7 nAChR could alter the neurotoxicity of Aβ. The expression levels of α7 nAChR and Aβ in the brains of patients with AD and healthy brains were analyzed using immunofluorescence. Moreover, SH-SY5Y cells were used to stably overexpress or silence α7 nAChR expression levels, prior to the treatment with or without 1 µmol/l Aβ1-42 oligomer (AβO). The mRNA and protein expression levels of α7 nAChR, synaptophysin (SYP), postsynaptic density of 95 kDa (PSD-95) and synaptosomal-associated protein of 25 kDa (SNAP-25) were subsequently analyzed using reverse transcription-quantitative PCR and western blotting. In addition, the concentration of acetylcholine (ACh) and the activity of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) were analyzed using spectrophotometry, while the cell apoptotic rate was determined using flow cytometry. The expression of Aβ in the brains of patients with AD was found to be significantly increased, whereas the expression of α7 nAChR was significantly decreased compared with the healthy control group. In vitro, the expression levels of α7 nAChR were significantly increased or decreased following the overexpression or silencing of the gene, respectively. Consistent with these observations, the mRNA and protein expression levels of SYP, PSD-95 and SNAP-25 were also significantly increased following the overexpression of α7 nAChR and decreased following the genetic silencing of the receptor. In untransfected or negative control cells, the expression levels of these factors and the apoptotic rate were significantly reduced following the exposure to AβO, which was found to be attenuated by α7 nAChR overexpression, but potentiated by α7 nAChR RNA silencing. However, no significant differences were observed in either the ACh concentration or AChE activity following transfection. Collectively, these findings suggested that α7 nAChR may protect the brains of patients with AD against Aβ, as α7 nAChR overexpression increased the expression levels of SYP, SNAP-25 and PSD-95, and attenuated the inhibitory effect of Aβ on the expression of these synaptic proteins and cell apoptosis. Overall, this indicated that α7 nAChR may serve an important neuroprotective role in AD.
Comparative Genomics and Antimicrobial Resistance Profiling of Elizabethkingia Isolates Reveal Nosocomial Transmission and In Vitro Susceptibility to Fluoroquinolones, Tetracyclines, and Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole

The Elizabethkingia genus has gained global attention in recent years as containing sporadic, worldwide, nosocomial pathogens. Elizabethkingia spp. are intrinsically multidrug resistant, primarily infect immunocompromised individuals, and are associated with high mortality (∼20 to 40%). As yet, gaps remain in our understanding of transmission, global strain relatedness, antimicrobial resistance, and effective therapy. Over a 16-year period, 22 clinical and 6 hospital environmental isolates were collected from Queensland, Australia. ABSTRACT The Elizabethkingia genus has gained global attention in recent years as containing sporadic, worldwide, nosocomial pathogens. Elizabethkingia spp. are intrinsically multidrug resistant, primarily infect immunocompromised individuals, and are associated with high mortality (∼20 to 40%). As yet, gaps remain in our understanding of transmission, global strain relatedness, antimicrobial resistance, and effective therapy. Over a 16-year period, 22 clinical and 6 hospital environmental isolates were collected from Queensland, Australia. Identification using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization–time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) (Vitek MS) and whole-genome sequencing was compared with a global strain data set. Phylogenomic reconstruction robustly identified 22 Elizabethkingia anophelis, 3 Elizabethkingia miricola, 2 Elizabethkingia meningoseptica, and 1 Elizabethkingia bruuniana isolates, most of which branched as unique lineages. Global analysis revealed that some Australian E. anophelis isolates are genetically closely related to strains from the United States, England, and Asia. Comparative genomics of clinical and environmental strains identified evidence of nosocomial transmission in patients, indicating probable infection from a hospital reservoir. Furthermore, broth microdilution against 39 antimicrobials revealed almost ubiquitous resistance to aminoglycosides, carbapenems, cephalosporins, and penicillins. Like other international strains, our isolates expressed susceptibility to minocycline and levofloxacin and the less common trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. Our study demonstrates important new insights into the genetic diversity, environmental persistence, and transmission of and potential effective therapy for Australian Elizabethkingia species.