Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Anti‐herbivore silicon defences in a model grass are greatest under Miocene levels of atmospheric CO2

Silicon (Si) has an important role in mitigating diverse biotic and abiotic stresses in plants, mainly via the silicification of plant tissues. Environmental changes such as atmospheric CO2 concentrations may affect grass Si concentrations which, in turn, can alter herbivore performance. We recently demonstrated that pre‐industrial atmospheric CO2 increased Si accumulation in Brachypodium distachyon grass, yet the patterns of Si deposition in leaves and whether this affects insect herbivore performance remains unknown. Moreover, it is unclear whether CO2‐driven changes in Si accumulation are linked to changes in gas exchange (e.g. transpiration rates). We therefore investigated how pre‐industrial (reduced; rCO2, 200 ppm), ambient (aCO2, 410 ppm) and elevated (eCO2, 640 ppm) CO2 concentrations, in combination with Si‐treatment (Si+ or Si−), affected Si accumulation in B. distachyon and its subsequent effect on the performance of the global insect pest, Helicoverpa armigera. rCO2 increased Si concentrations by 29% and 36% compared to aCO2 and eCO2 respectively. These changes were not related to observed changes in gas exchange under different CO2 regimes, however. The increased Si accumulation under rCO2 decreased herbivore relative growth rate (RGR) by 120% relative to eCO2, whereas rCO2 caused herbivore RGR to decrease by 26% compared to eCO2. Si supplementation also increased the density of macrohairs, silica and prickle cells, which was associated with reduced herbivore performance. There was a negative correlation among macrohair density, silica cell density, prickle cell density and herbivore RGR under rCO2 suggesting that these changes in leaf surface morphology were linked to reduced performance under this CO2 regime. To our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate that increased Si accumulation under pre‐industrial CO2 reduces insect herbivore performance. Contrastingly, we found reduced Si accumulation under higher CO2, which suggests that some grasses may become more susceptible to insect herbivores under projected climate change scenarios.
New Insights into the Biological Activity of Lichens: Bioavailable Secondary Metabolites of Umbilicaria decussata as Potential Anticoagulants

This study reports the in vitro anticoagulation activity of acetonic extract (AE) of 42 lichen species and the identification of potential bioavailable anticoagulant compounds from Umbilicaria decussata as a competent anticoagulant lichen species. Lichens’ AEs were evaluated for their anticoagulant activity by monitoring activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) and prothrombin time (PT) assays. A strong, positive correlation was observed between total phenolics concentration (TPC) of species and blood coagulation parameters. U. decussata was the only species with the longest clotting time in both APTT and PT assays. The research was moved forward by performing in vivo assays using rats. The results corroborated the dose‐dependent impact of U. decussata’s AE on rats’ clotting time. Major secondary metabolites of U. decussata and their plasma‐related bioavailability were also investigated using LC‐ESI‐MS/MS. Atranol, orsellinic acid, D‐mannitol, lecanoric acid, and evernic acid were detected as possible bioavailable anticoagulants of U. decussata. Our findings suggest that U. decussata might be a potential anticoagulant lichen species that can be used for the prevention or treatment of coagulation‐related issues such as cardiovascular diseases (CVDs).
In Situ Monitoring of the Reaction-Induced Self-Assembly of Phenolic Resin Templated by Diblock Copolymers

In this study, in situ small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), in situ Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) are used to monitor the formation of ordered mesophases in cured mixtures of phenolic resin and the diblock copoly mer poly(ethylene oxide- block - e -caprolactone) (PEO- b -PCL). SAXS and TEM analyses reveal that the mesophase of the phenolic/PEO- b -PCL mixture transforms sequentially from disordered to short-range-ordered to hexagonal-cylindrical to gyroidal during the curing process when using hexamethylenetetramine (HMTA) as a cross-linking agent, indicating that a mechanism involving reaction-induced microphase separation controls the self-assembly of the phenolic resin. In situ SAXS is also used to observe the fabrication of mesoporous phenolic resins during subsequent calcination processes.
Parental age does not influence offspring telomeres during early life in common gulls (Larus canus)

Parental age can affect offspring telomere length through heritable and epigenetic‐like effects, but at what stage during development these effects are established is not well known. To address this, we conducted a cross‐fostering experiment in common gulls (Larus canus) that enabled us distinguish between pre‐ and post‐natal parental age effects on offspring telomere length. Whole clutches were exchanged after clutch completion within and between parental age classes (young and old) and blood samples were collected from chicks at hatching and during the fastest growth phase (11 days later) to measure telomeres. Neither the ages of the natal nor the foster parents predicted the telomere length or the change in telomere lengths of their chicks. Telomere length (TL) was repeatable within chicks, but increased across development (repeatability = 0.55, intraclass correlation coefficient within sampling events 0.934). Telomere length and the change in telomere length were not predicted by post‐natal growth rate. Taken together, these findings suggest that in common gulls, telomere length during early life is not influenced by parental age or growth rate, which may indicate that protective mechanisms buffer telomeres from external conditions during development in this relatively long‐lived species.
The DNA transporter ComEC has metal‐dependent nuclease activity that is important for natural transformation

In the process of natural transformation bacteria import extracellular DNA molecules for integration into their genome. One strand of the incoming DNA molecule is degraded, whereas the remaining strand is transported across the cytoplasmic membrane. The DNA transport channel is provided by the protein ComEC. Many ComEC proteins have an extracellular C‐terminal domain (CTD) with homology to the metallo‐β‐lactamase fold. Here we show that this CTD binds Mn2+ ions and exhibits Mn2+‐dependent phosphodiesterase and nuclease activities. Inactivation of the enzymatic activity of the CTD severely inhibits natural transformation in Bacillus subtilis. These data suggest that the ComEC CTD is a nuclease responsible for degrading the nontransforming DNA strand during natural transformation and that this process is important for efficient DNA import.
Glycine suppresses kidney calcium oxalate crystal depositions via regulating urinary excretions of oxalate and citrate

An abnormal urine composition is a key reason for kidney stone formation, but little is known about the roles of small metabolites in the urine during kidney stone formation. Here, we found urine glycine in patients with kidney calcium oxalate (CaOx) stone was significantly lower than that in healthy people via 1H NMR spectra detection, and investigated the role and underlying mechanism of glycine in the regulation of CaOx stone formation. Our results showed that glycine could significantly attenuate ethylene glycol‐induced CaOx crystal depositions in rat kidney via decreasing urine oxalate and increasing urine citrate. Mechanism studies revealed that glycine could decrease urine oxalate through downregulating Slc26a6 expression, whereas increase urine citrate via inhibiting Nadc1 expression. Moreover, glycine decreased the protein expression of both Slc26a6 and Nadc1 via increasing the expression of miRNA‐411‐3p, which directly bound to the 3′‐untranslated regions of Slc26a6 and Nadc1 messenger RNAs, in vitro and in vivo. Together, our results revealed a novel role of glycine in the regulation of kidney CaOx crystal formation and provided a potential target for the treatment of kidney CaOx stone.
Variation in climatic tolerance, but not stomatal traits, partially explains Pooideae grass species distributions.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Grasses in subfamily Pooideae live in some of the world's harshest terrestrial environments, from frigid boreal zones to the arid wind-swept steppe. It is hypothesized that the climate distribution of species within this group is driven by differences in climatic tolerance, and that tolerance can be partially explained by variation in stomatal traits. METHODS We determined aridity index (AI) and minimum temperature of the coldest month (MTCM) for 22 diverse Pooideae accessions and one outgroup, and used comparative methods to assess predicted relationships for climate traits versus fitness traits, stomatal diffusive conductance to water (gw), and speed of stomatal closure following drought and/or cold. KEY RESULTS Results demonstrate that AI and MTCM predict variation in survival/regreening following drought/cold, and gw under drought/cold is positively correlated with ẟ 13C-measured water use efficiency (WUE). However, the relationship between climate traits and fitness under drought/cold was not explained by gw or speed of stomatal closure. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that Pooideae distributions are at least partly determined by tolerance to aridity and above freezing cold, but that variation in tolerance is not uniformly explained by variation in stomatal traits.
The problem of omnivory: A synthesis on omnivory and DNA metabarcoding

Dietary analysis using DNA metabarcoding is a powerful tool that is increasingly being used to further our knowledge of trophic interactions in highly complex food webs but is not without limitations. Omnivores, the most generalist of consumers, pose unique challenges when using such methods. Here, we provide the rationale to understand the problems associated with analysing the complex diets of omnivores. By reviewing existing metabarcoding studies of omnivorous diet, and constructing hypothetical scenarios arising from each, we outline that great caution is required when interpreting sequencing data in such cases. In essence, the problems of accidental consumption and secondary ingestion are significant sources of error when investigating omnivorous diets. The integration of multiple high throughput sequencing markers increases the taxonomic breadth of taxa detected but we reveal how some detections may be misleading. Disentangling which taxa have been deliberately or accidentally consumed by the focal omnivore is challenging and can falsely emphasise those that were not intentionally consumed, obscuring biologically meaningful interactions. Although we suggest ways to disentangle these issues, we urge that the results of such analyses should be interpreted with caution and all possible scenarios for the presence of biota within omnivores given due consideration.
DFT Calculation on 76 Polybromophenazines: Their Thermodynamic Function and Stability

The thermodynamic functions, including enthalpy (HΘ), entropy (SΘ), and Gibbs free energy (GΘ) for 76 polybromophenazines (PBPZs) in the gaseous state at 298.15 K and 101.325 kPa, have been calculated using the density functional theory (the B3LYP/6-31G*) with the Gaussian 03 program. On the basis of these data, the isodesmic reactions were designed to calculate the standard formation heat (ΔfHΘ) and standard Gibbs energy of formation (ΔfGΘ) of PBPZs. In addition, the dependences of these thermodynamic parameters on the number and positions of bromine substitutes (NPBS) were discussed. It is suggested that ΔfHΘ and ΔfGΘ of PBPZs vary greatly with the substituent positions of bromine, with the influence order being position α > position β, while the SΘ value is increased by 10 J·mol−1·K−1 by increasing each bromine atom to PBPZs. It was found that when two bromines substitute in the same aromatic ring the ΔfHΘ and ΔfGΘ increase effect is ortho > meta > para. The relative stability order of PBPZ congeners w.
Granulocyte‐macrophage colony‐stimulating factor initiates amniotic membrane rupture and preterm birth in a mouse model

Preterm premature rupture of membranes is associated with 30% of all preterm births. The weakening of amniotic membranes is associated with an increase in matrix metallopeptidases (MMPs) along with a decrease in their inhibitors, tissue inhibitor metallopeptidases (TIMPs). Additionally, granulocyte‐macrophage colony‐stimulating factor (GM‐CSF) has been shown to weaken fetal membranes in‐vitro. We hypothesize pregnant mice treated with GM‐CSF lead to increased MMPs:TIMPs resulting in membrane rupture and preterm birth.
A comparative mechanical study of two types of femur bone implant using the finite element method

The femoral bone fracture is one of the most common fractures that orthopedic surgeons deal with. These fractures are associated with a significant percentage of death due to non‐orthopedic complications. For this reason, it is necessary that the surgeon be well‐aware of the condition of the patient and also of the biomechanical conditions of the bone and implant before surgery, in order to use the best surgical technique. Nowadays, the use of implants is a popular technique among the available methods for the treatment of femoral fractures. In the present study, two patients with different ages, three types of femoral bone fractures, that is, oblique, reverse oblique, and neck fracture, and two types of implants, namely, the dynamic hip screw (DHS) and the Gamma nail have been investigated. The behavior of the implants has been investigated at the two stages of treatment, that is, before and after bone union. The analysis of implants was based on the amount of stress and displacement induced in different parts of the bone and the implant. From the viewpoint of the stresses induced in the bone, all models are quite similar and in terms of the implant stresses, the Gamma nail is more reliable than the DHS. Additionally, the relative displacement of the fractured bone segments at the fracture planes was calculated. According to the obtained results, it can be concluded that the relative displacement of the fracture planes with the use of Gamma nail is somewhat less than the DHS, but this difference is not significant.
High-Contrast Fluorescence Diagnosis of Cancer Cells/Tissues Based on β-Lapachone-Triggered ROS Amplification Specific in Cancer Cells.

Discrimination of cancer cells/tissues from normal ones is of critical importance for early diagnosis and treatment of cancers. Herein, we present a new strategy for high-contrast fluorescence diagnosis of cancer cells/tissues based on b-Lapachone (b-Lap, an anticancer agent) triggered ROS (reactive oxygen species) amplification specific in cancer cells/tissues. With the strategy, a wide range of cancer cells/tissues, including surgical tissue specimens harvested from patients, were distinguished from normal ones by using a combination of b-Lap and a Si-rhodamine-based NIR fluorescent ROS probe PSiR3 developed in this work with average tumor-to-normal (T/N) ratios up to 15 in cell level and 24 in tissue level, far exceeding the clinically acceptable threshold of 2.0 . What's more , the strategy allowed the fluorescence discrimination of tumor tissues from inflammatory ones based on whether a marked fluorescence enhancement could be induced when treated with PSiR3 and b-Lap/ PSiR3 combination, respectively.
Systematic review of measures of disease severity in rhinitis

Rhinologists often encounter a broad spectrum of allergic rhinitis (AR) and nonallergic rhinitis (NAR) patients, who can be variably classified based upon timing and severity of disease. Our understanding of the varied quality of life (QOL) impact in different classifications of rhinitis is limited. Thus a more comprehensive understanding of the impact of rhinitis upon our patients, as measured by both patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) and clinical physiologic measures, as well as unique factors associated with disease severity is needed.
Enriching neural stem cell and anti‐inflammatory glial phenotypes with electrical stimulation after traumatic brain injury in male rats

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) by an external physical impact results in compromised brain function via undesired neuronal death. Following the injury, resident and peripheral immune cells, astrocytes, and neural stem cells (NSCs) cooperatively contribute to the recovery of the neuronal function after TBI. However, excessive pro‐inflammatory responses of immune cells, and the disappearance of endogenous NSCs at the injury site during the acute phase of TBI, can exacerbate TBI progression leading to incomplete healing. Therefore, positive outcomes may depend on early interventions to control the injury‐associated cellular milieu in the early phase of injury. Here, we explore electrical stimulation (ES) of the injury site in a rodent model (male Sprague–Dawley rats) to investigate its overall effect on the constituent brain cell phenotype and composition during the acute phase of TBI. Our data showed that a brief ES for 1 hr on day 2 of TBI promoted anti‐inflammatory phenotypes of microglia as assessed by CD206 expression and increased the population of NSCs and Nestin+ astrocytes at 7 days post‐TBI. Also, ES effectively increased the number of viable neurons when compared to the unstimulated control group. Given the salience of microglia and neural stem cells for healing after TBI, our results strongly support the potential benefit of the therapeutic use of ES during the acute phase of TBI to regulate neuroinflammation and to enhance neuroregeneration.
A Wearable Body Condition Sensor System with Wireless Feedback Alarm Functions

Emerging feedback systems based on tracking body conditions can save human lives. In particular, vulnerable populations such as disabled people, elderly, and infants often require special care. For example, the high global mortality of infants primarily owing to sudden infant death syndrome while sleeping makes request for extraordinary attentions in neonatal intensive care units or daily lives. Here, a versatile laser‐induced graphene (LIG)‐based integrated flexible sensor system, which can wirelessly monitor the sleeping postures, respiration rate, and diaper moisture with feedback alarm notifications, is reported. A tilt sensor based on confining a liquid metal droplet inside a cavity can track at least 18 slanting orientations. A rapid and scalable laser direct writing method realizes LIG patterning in both the in‐plane and out‐of‐plane configurations as well as the formation of nonstick conductive structures to the liquid metal. By rationally merging the LIG‐based tilt, strain, and humidity sensors on a thin flexible film, the multimodal sensor device is applied to a diaper as a real‐time feedback tracking system of the sleeping posture, respiration, and wetness toward secure and comfortable lives. User‐friendly interfaces, which incorporate alarming functions, provide timely feedback for caregivers tending to vulnerable populations with limited self‐care capabilities.
Thrombolytic therapy for wake‐up stroke: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

According to evidence‐based clinical practice guidelines, patients presenting with disabling stroke symptoms should be treated with intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (IV tPA) within 4.5 h of time last known well. However, 25% of strokes are detected upon awakening (i.e., wake‐up stroke [WUS]), which renders patients ineligible for IV tPA administered via time‐based treatment algorithms, because it is impossible to establish a reliable time of symptom onset. We performed a systematic review and meta‐analysis of the efficacy and safety of IV tPA compared with normal saline, placebo, or no treatment in patients with WUS using imaging‐based treatment algorithms.
Nitrogen doped graphene nanoplatelets as catalyst support for oxygen reduction reaction in proton exchange membrane fuel cell

Graphene nanoplatelets have been synthesized by thermal exfoliation of graphitic oxide and nitrogen doped graphene nanoplatelets have been obtained by nitrogen plasma treatment. Graphene nanoplatelets and nitrogen doped graphene nanoplatelets have been used as a catalyst support for platinum nanoparticles for oxygen reduction reactions in proton exchange membrane fuel cells. Platinum nanoparticles were dispersed over these support materials using the conventional chemical reduction technique. The morphology and structure of the graphene based powder samples were studied using X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. A full cell was constructed with platinum loaded nitrogen doped graphene nanoplatelets and the results have been compared with platinum loaded graphene nanoplatelets. A maximum power density of 440 and 390 mW cm−2 has been obtained with platinum loaded nitrogen doped graphene and platinum loaded graphene nanoplatelets as ORR catalysts respectively. Nitrogen plasma treatment created pyrrolic nitrogen defects, which act as good anchoring sites for the deposition of platinum nanoparticles. The improved performance of fuel cells with N-G as catalyst supports can be attributed to the increased electrical conductivity and improved carbon–catalyst binding.
Activated carbon‐polyethylenedioxythiophene composite electrodes for symmetrical supercapacitors

A symmetrical (p/p) supercapacitor has been fabricated by making use of activated carbon (AC)-polyethylenedioxythiophene (PEDOT)-composite electrodes for the first time. The composite electrodes have been prepared via electrochemical deposition of β-napthalenesulphonate doped PEDOT onto AC electrodes. The characteristics of the electrodes and the fabricated supercapacitor have been investigated using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and AC impedance spectroscopy. The electrodes show a maximum specific capacitance of 158 Fg−1 at a scan rate of 10 mV s−1. This indicates that the in situ electro-polymerization of ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT) onto AC could improve the performance of carbon electrodes for use in supercapacitors. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 2008
DIRECT MULTIQUANTUM RELAXATION OF HIGHLY VIBRATIONALLY EXCITED NO IN COLLISIONS WITH O/CU(111)

We present a new experimental approach to the study of vibrational relaxation of highly vibrationally excited molecules at solid surfaces. We observe NO in v=13 and 15 losing up to five vibrational quanta in collisions with an O-covered copper surface. The data indicate this vibrational relaxation occurs via a direct scattering mechanism.