Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
MeNPF4.5 Improves Cassava Nitrogen Use Efficiency and Yield by Regulating Nitrogen Uptake and Allocation

Improving nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) is a very important goal of crop breeding throughout the world. Cassava is an important food and energy crop in tropical and subtropical regions, and it mainly use nitrate as an N source. To evaluate the effect of the nitrate transporter gene MeNPF4.5 on the uptake and utilization of N in cassava, two MeNPF4.5 overexpression lines (MeNPF4.5 OE-22 and MeNPF4.5 OE-34) and one MeNPF4.5 RNA interference (RNAi) line (MeNPF4.5 Ri-1) were used for a tissue culture experiment, combining with a field trial. The results indicated that MeNPF4.5 is a plasma membrane transporter mainly expressed in roots. The gene is induced by NO3–. Compared with the wild type, MeNPF4.5 OE-22 exhibited improved growth, yield, and NUE under both low N and normal N levels, especially in the normal N treatment. However, the growth and N uptake of RNAi plants were significantly reduced, indicating poor N uptake and utilization capacity. In addition, photosynthesis and the activities of N metabolism-related enzymes (glutamine synthetase, glutamine oxoglutarate aminotransferase, and glutamate dehydrogenase) of leaves in overexpression lines were significantly higher than those in wild type. Interestingly, the RNAi line increased enzymatic activity but decreased photosynthesis. IAA content of roots in overexpressed lines were lower than that in wild type under low N level, but higher than that of wild type under normal N level. The RNAi line increased IAA content of roots under both N levels. The IAA content of leaves in the overexpression lines was significantly higher than that of the wild type, but showed negative effects on that of the RNAi lines. Thus, our results demonstrated that the MeNPF4.5 nitrate transporter is involved in regulating the uptake and utilization of N in cassava, which leads to the increase of N metabolizing enzyme activity and photosynthesis, along with the change of endogenous hormones, thereby improving the NUE and yield of cassava. These findings shed light that MeNPF4.5 is involved in N use efficiency use in cassava.
Conventional Synthetic Disease-Modifying Anti-rheumatic Drugs for Psoriatic Arthritis: Findings and Implications From a Patient Centered Longitudinal Study in Brazil

Background: Conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs are the first-line treatment to inhibit the progression of psoriatic arthritis. Despite their widespread clinical use, few studies have been conducted to compare these drugs for psoriatic arthritis. Methods: a longitudinal study was carried out based on a centered patient national database in Brazil. Market share of drugs, medication persistence, drug costs, and cost per response were evaluated. Results: a total of 1,999 individuals with psoriatic arthritis were included. Methotrexate was the most used drug (44.4%), followed by leflunomide (40.6%), ciclosporin (8.2%), and sulfasalazine (6.8%). Methotrexate and leflunomide had a greater market share than ciclosporin and sulfasalazine over years. Medication persistence was higher for leflunomide (58.9 and 28.2%), followed by methotrexate (51.6 and 25.4%) at six and 12 months, respectively. Leflunomide was deemed the most expensive drug, with an average annual cost of $317.25, followed by sulfasalazine ($106.47), ciclosporin ($97.64), and methotrexate ($40.23). Methotrexate was the drug being the lowest cost per response. Conclusion: Methotrexate had the best cost per response ratio, owing to its lower cost and a slightly lower proportion of persistent patients when compared to leflunomide. Leflunomide had a slightly higher medication persistence than methotrexate, but it was the most expensive drug.
Screening for Autism Spectrum Disorder in Toddlers During the 18- and 24-Month Well-Child Visits

Objective Early screening contributes to the early detection of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We conducted a longitudinal ASD screening study in a large community setting. The study was designed to investigate the diagnostic rate of ASD screening and determine the effectiveness of ASD screening model in a community-based sample. Methods We enrolled children who attended 18- and 24-month well-child care visits in Shanghai Xuhui District. Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers, Revised with Follow-up (M-CHAT-R/F) and Binomial Observation Test (BOT) were selected as screening instruments. Screen-positive children were referred to a tertiary diagnostic center for comprehensive ASD diagnostic evaluation. Screen-negative children received well-child checkups and follow-up every 3–6 months until age three and were referred if they were suspected of having ASD. Results A total of 11,190 toddlers were screened, and 36 screen-positive toddlers were diagnosed with ASD. The mean age at diagnosis for these children was 23.1 ± 4.55 months, diagnosed 20 months earlier than ASD children not screened. The diagnostic rate of ASD was 0.32% (95% CI: 0.23–0.45%) in this community-based sample. In addition, 12 screen-negative children were diagnosed with ASD during subsequent well-child visit and follow-up. The average diagnostic rate of ASD rose to 0.43% (95% CI: 0.32–0.57%) when toddlers were followed up to 3 years old. The positive predictive values (PPVs) of M-CHAT-R/F, M-CHAT-R high risk, and BOT for ASD were 0.31, 0.43, and 0.38 respectively. Conclusion Our findings provide reliable data for estimating the rate of ASD detection and identifying the validity of community-based screening model. M-CHAT-R/F combined with BOT can be an effective tool for early detection of ASD. This community-based screening model is worth replicating.
The Effect of Self-Discrepancy on Online Behavior: A Literature Review

People will experience self-discrepancy when they perceive their actual self is distanced from their ideal self and ought self. The perceived self-discrepancy has a significant impact on people’s online behavior. The goal of this paper is to provide an overview of the research on self-discrepancy in the Internet era through a literature review. A total of 37 papers were included in this review. First, this study presents the basic characteristic of the reviewed articles (such as research contexts, samples, and data collection methods). Second, it summarized how the Internet affected people’s self-discrepancy. Third, this review identified how self-discrepancy was associated with different kinds of online behavior (such as impression management, knowledge contribution, and gaming addiction). Finally, this study outlined several possible directions for future research.
Design Optimization and Classification of Compliant Mechanisms for Flapping Wing Micro Air Vehicles

Flapping wing micro air vehicles (MAVs) are desired for surveillance and reconnaissance in confined spaces, and should exhibit small scale flight with the following abilities: obstacle avoidance, hovering, and slow flight speed. One of the major components of MAVs is the flapping mechanism, which actuates wings to generate sufficient lift and propulsion force. The design of a new flapping wing mechanism is a very challenging task, especially when an ad-hoc approach is used. Multiple design, build, and test cycles result in a very inefficient, costly, and time-consuming design process. As increasingly smaller flapping wing MAVs are sought, the efficiency of power transmission from the actuator to the flapping wing is further reduced. This work will be an important step towards a systematic approach for the design of flapping wing mechanisms for MAVs. In this thesis, 15 flapping wing MAVs were evaluated from research organizations worldwide. These mechanisms were classified on the following criteria: workspace, compliant or rigid body, type synthesis, mobility, and actuator type. This survey of mechanism classification will serve as a resource for the continued design and development of smaller and more efficient MAVs. The use of compliant elements in flapping wing MAVs is a possible solution to the decreased power transmission inherently present in the scaling of traditional rigid body mechanisms. To demonstrate the effectiveness of compliant elements, an extension spring and compliant joint were incorporated into the University of Maryland’s
Hydrophobic Outer Membrane Pores Boost Testosterone Hydroxylation by Cytochrome P450 BM3 Containing Cells

The implementation of biocatalytic steroid hydroxylation processes at an industrial scale still suffers from low conversion rates. In this study, we selected variants of the self-sufficient cytochrome P450 monooxygenase BM3 from Bacillus megaterium (BM3) for the hydroxylation of testosterone either at the 2β- or 15β-position. Recombinant Escherichia coli cells were used as biocatalysts to provide a protective environment for recombinant enzymes and to ensure continuous cofactor recycling via glucose catabolism. However, only low initial whole-cell testosterone conversion rates were observed for resting cells. Results obtained with different biocatalyst formats (permeabilized cells, cell-free extracts, whole cells) indicated a limitation in substrate uptake, most likely due to the hydrophilic character of the outer membrane of E. coli. Thus, we co-expressed nine genes encoding hydrophobic outer membrane proteins potentially facilitating steroid uptake. Indeed, the application of four candidates led to increased initial testosterone hydroxylation rates. Respective whole-cell biocatalysts even exceeded activities obtained with permeabilized cells or cell-free extracts. The highest activity of 34 U gCDW −1 was obtained for a strain containing the hydrophobic outer membrane protein AlkL from Pseudomonas putida GPo1 and the BM3 variant KSA14m. Overall, we show that the straightforward application of hydrophobic outer membrane pores can boost whole-cell steroid conversion rates and thus be game-changing with regard to industrial steroid production efficiency.
Potential Diffusion Tensor Imaging Biomarkers for Elucidating Intra-Individual Age-Related Changes in Cognitive Control and Processing Speed

Cognitive aging, especially cognitive control, and processing speed aging have been well-documented in the literature. Most of the evidence was reported based on cross-sectional data, in which inter-individual age effects were shown. However, there have been some studies pointing out the possibility of overlooking intra-individual changes in cognitive aging. To systematically examine whether age-related differences and age-related changes might yield distinctive patterns, this study directly compared cognitive control function and processing speed between different cohorts versus follow-up changes across the adult lifespan. Moreover, considering that cognitive aging has been attributed to brain disconnection in white matter (WM) integrity, this study focused on WM integrity via acquiring diffusion-weighted imaging data with an MRI instrument that are further fitted to a diffusion tensor model (i.e., DTI) to detect water diffusion directionality (i.e., fractional anisotropy, FA; mean diffusivity, MD; radial diffusivity, RD; axial diffusivity, AxD). Following data preprocessing, 114 participants remained for further analyses in which they completed the two follow-up sessions (with a range of 1–2 years) containing a series of neuropsychology instruments and computerized cognitive control tasks. The results show that many significant correlations between age and cognitive control functions originally shown on cross-sectional data no longer exist on the longitudinal data. The current longitudinal data show that MD, RD, and AxD (especially in the association fibers of anterior thalamic radiation) are more strongly correlated to follow-up aging processes, suggesting that axonal/myelin damage is a more robust phenomenon for observing intra-individual aging processes. Moreover, processing speed appears to be the most prominent cognitive function to reflect DTI-related age (cross-sectional) and aging (longitudinal) effects. Finally, converging the results from regression analyses and mediation models, MD, RD, and AxD appear to be the representative DTI measures to reveal age-related changes in processing speed. To conclude, the current results provide new insights to which indicator of WM integrity and which type of cognitive changes are most representative (i.e., potentially to be neuroimaging biomarkers) to reflect intra-individual cognitive aging processes.
Addressing Conflicts of Interest and Conflicts of Commitment in Public Advocacy and Policy Making on CRISPR/Cas-Based Human Genome Editing

Leading experts on CRISPR/Cas-based genome editing—such as 2020 Nobel laureates Jennifer Doudna and Emmanuelle Charpentier—are not only renowned specialists in their fields, but also public advocates for upcoming regulatory frameworks on CRISPR/Cas. These frameworks will affect large portions of biomedical research on human genome editing. In advocating for particular ways of handling the risks and prospects of this technology, high-profile scientists not only serve as scientific experts, but also as moral advisers. The majority of them currently intend to bring about a “responsible pathway” toward human genome interventions in clinical therapy. Engaging in advocacy for such a pathway, they issue moral judgments on the risks and benefits of this new technology. They declare that there actually is a responsible pathway, they draft resolutions on temporary moratoria, they make judgments on which groups and individuals are credible and should participate in public and semi-public debates, so they also set the standards for deciding who counts as well-informed, as well as the standards of evidence for adopting or rejecting research policies. This degree of influence on public debates and policy making is, at the very least, noteworthy. This contribution sounds a note of caution with regard to the endeavor of a responsible pathway to human genome editing and in particular scrutinizes the legitimacy of expert-driven research policies given commercial conflicts of interest and conflicts of commitment among first-rank scholars.
Bending Stress and Deflection Analysis of Meshing Spur Gear Tooth during the Single Tooth Contact with Finite Element Method and Determination of the Bending Stiffness

Purpose of this study is the study of loading and contact problems encountered at rotating machine elements and especially at tooth gears. Tooth gears are some of the most commonly used mechanical components for rotary motion and power transmission. This fact proves the necessity for improved reliability and enhanced service life, which requires precise and clear knowledge of the stress field at gear tooth. This study investigates three different study cases of the stresses occurring during the single tooth meshing, regarding the gear module, power rating and number of teeth as variable parameters. Using finite elements analysis, the stresses and deflections on discrete points of contact are derived. Finally from the finite elements analysis results calculated the peripherical bending stiffness of the loaded tooth. From FEM analysis and analytical calculation the magnitudes of root stresses, contact displacement and peripherical bending stiffness, during the single tooth contact, are presented with graphs versus the height of the contact to the total tooth height ratio. During the single tooth contact the values of the Equivalent and 1st principal stress at the addendum of the tooth, the bending deflection and the peripherical bending stiffness at the point of contact are proportional to the height of the contact in respect of the total tooth height.
Atypical Antibody Dynamics During Human Coronavirus HKU1 Infections

Human coronavirus HKU1 (HCoV-HKU1) is one of the four endemic coronaviruses. It has been suggested that there is a difference in incidence, with PCR-confirmed HCoV-NL63 and HCoV-OC43 infections occurring more commonly, whereas HCoV-HKU1 is the least seen. Lower incidence of HCoV-HKU1 infection has also been observed in serological studies. The current study aimed to investigate antibody dynamics during PCR-confirmed HCoV-HKU1 infections using serum collected during infection and 1 month later. We expressed a new HCoV-HKU1 antigen consisting of both the linker and carboxy-terminal domain of the viral nucleocapsid protein and implemented it in ELISA. We also applied a spike-based Luminex assay on serum samples from PCR-confirmed infections by the four endemic HCoVs. At least half of HCoV-HKU1-infected subjects consistently showed no antibody rise via either assay, and some subjects even exhibited substantial antibody decline. Investigation of self-reported symptoms revealed that HCoV-HKU1-infected subjects rated their illness milder than subjects infected by other HCoVs. In conclusion, HCoV-HKU1 infections reported in this study displayed atypical antibody dynamics and milder symptoms when compared to the other endemic HCoVs.
Multimodal Human-Exoskeleton Interface for Lower Limb Movement Prediction Through a Dense Co-Attention Symmetric Mechanism

A challenging task for the biological neural signal-based human-exoskeleton interface is to achieve accurate lower limb movement prediction of patients with hemiplegia in rehabilitation training scenarios. The human-exoskeleton interface based on single-modal biological signals such as electroencephalogram (EEG) is currently not mature in predicting movements, due to its unreliability. The multimodal human-exoskeleton interface is a very novel solution to this problem. This kind of interface normally combines the EEG signal with surface electromyography (sEMG) signal. However, their use for the lower limb movement prediction is still limited—the connection between sEMG and EEG signals and the deep feature fusion between them are ignored. In this article, a Dense con-attention mechanism-based Multimodal Enhance Fusion Network (DMEFNet) is proposed for predicting lower limb movement of patients with hemiplegia. The DMEFNet introduces the con-attention structure to extract the common attention between sEMG and EEG signal features. To verify the effectiveness of DMEFNet, an sEMG and EEG data acquisition experiment and an incomplete asynchronous data collection paradigm are designed. The experimental results show that DMEFNet has a good movement prediction performance in both within-subject and cross-subject situations, reaching an accuracy of 82.96 and 88.44%, respectively.
Stem Cells, Hematopoiesis and Lineage Tracing: Transplantation-Centric Views and Beyond

An appropriate production of mature blood cells, or hematopoiesis, is essential for organismal health and homeostasis. In this developmental cascade, hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) differentiate into intermediate progenitor types, that subsequently give rise to the many distinct blood cell lineages. Here, we describe tools and methods that permit for temporal and native clonal-level HSC lineage tracing in the mouse, and that can now be combined with emerging single-cell molecular analyses. We integrate new insights derived from such experimental paradigms with past knowledge, which has predominantly been derived from transplantation-based approaches. Finally, we outline current knowledge and novel strategies derived from studies aimed to trace human HSC-derived hematopoiesis.
Effect of Natural Hazards on the Income and Sense of Subjective Well-Being of Rural Residents: Evidence From Rural China

China is a country that experiences severe natural hazards. In comparison to urban residents, farmers in rural areas of China are more susceptible to these natural hazards, whose impact is multidimensional; however, existing research has mainly focused on the household level. Based on China Household Finance Survey (CHFS) data in 2019, a total of 17,900 farmer households have been chosen to discuss the influences of natural hazards on the rural income and subjective well-being from the individual perspective and the family perspective; further, regional differences within the sphere of influence have been analyzed. Empirical results demonstrate that (1) the farmer household income is a factor that affects subjective well-being, but does not play a decisive role. (2) From the perspective of spatial differences and laws, subjective well-being and the income of farmers vary significantly. The subjective well-being in North China (NC) is the highest, while the subjective well-being in the Central South (CS) is the lowest. The distribution trend of rural income is high in Southeast China (SE) and low in Northwest China (NW). (3) Natural hazards can lower the subjective well-being [Mean ATT (average treatment effect) = –0.1040] and income (Mean ATT = –0.1715) of farmers significantly. Moreover, the influences of natural hazards on subjective well-being are lower than that on income. Therefore, it is imperative to ascertain the impact of natural hazards on farmers’ subjective well-being and household income. Further, the government should consider regional differences and the different affected groups, and also strengthen the farmers’ ability to cope with hazards and their post-hazard recovery ability during the implementation of hazard rescue.
A Community-Driven, Openly Accessible Molecular Pathway Integrating Knowledge on Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a highly aggressive malignancy mainly triggered by exposure to asbestos and characterized by complex biology. A significant body of knowledge has been generated over the decades by the research community which has improved our understanding of the disease toward prevention, diagnostic opportunities and new treatments. Omics technologies are opening for additional levels of information and hypotheses. Given the growing complexity and technological spread of biological knowledge in MPM, there is an increasing need for an integrating tool that may allow scientists to access the information and analyze data in a simple and interactive way. We envisioned that a platform to capture this widespread and fast-growing body of knowledge in a machine-readable and simple visual format together with tools for automated large-scale data analysis could be an important support for the work of the general scientist in MPM and for the community to share, critically discuss, distribute and eventually advance scientific results. Toward this goal, with the support of experts in the field and informed by existing literature, we have developed the first version of a molecular pathway model of MPM in the biological pathway database WikiPathways. This provides a visual and interactive overview of interactions and connections between the most central genes, proteins and molecular pathways known to be involved or altered in MPM. Currently, 455 unique genes and 247 interactions are included, derived after stringent manual curation of an initial 39 literature references. The pathway model provides a directly employable research tool with links to common databases and repositories for the exploration and the analysis of omics data. The resource is publicly available in the WikiPathways database (Wikipathways : WP5087) and continues to be under development and curation by the community, enabling the scientists in MPM to actively participate in the prioritization of shared biological knowledge.
Fluorescent Indicators For Biological Imaging of Monatomic Ions

Monatomic ions play critical biological roles including maintaining the cellular osmotic pressure, transmitting signals, and catalyzing redox reactions as cofactors in enzymes. The ability to visualize monatomic ion concentration, and dynamic changes in the concentration, is essential to understanding their many biological functions. A growing number of genetically encodable and synthetic indicators enable the visualization and detection of monatomic ions in biological systems. With this review, we aim to provide a survey of the current landscape of reported indicators. We hope this review will be a useful guide to researchers who are interested in using indicators for biological applications and to tool developers seeking opportunities to create new and improved indicators.