Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Polazzodus, gen. nov., A New Pycnodont Fish from the Late Cretaceous of Northeastern Italy

ABSTRACT Polazzodus coronatus, gen. et sp. nov., is a pycnodontiform fish from two proximate Late Cretaceous fossil sites near Polazzo, in northeastern Italy, where it is relatively abundant. Its autapomorphic characters are the presence of a distinctively shaped second dorsal ridge scale with an anterior projection; the presence of an olfactory fenestra on the premaxilla; an axe blade-like morphology of the maxilla; and the presence of a conspicuous posterodorsal process on the cleithrum. Polazzodus coronatus, gen. et sp. nov., is closely related to the pycnodontids Oropycnodus, Pycnodus, and probably ‘Coelodus’ gridelli and Tergestinia. Although their phylogenetic interrelationships will be tested when the last two forms are revised, Polazzodus coronatus is assigned to the subfamily Pycnodontinae within the Family Pycnodontidae, because it possesses the autapomorphies of both latter groups; for instance, the presence of an exposed part of the endocranium, without overlying dermal bones, which is an autapomorphy of the Pycnodontinae. The shape and large size of the supraoccipital bone in Polazzodus, together with the arrangement of the other occipital bones, indicates that this exposed portion of the endocranium is most likely formed by the endochondral supraoccipital bone.
DESCRIPTION OF THECADINIUM MUCOSUM SP. NOV. (DINOPHYCEAE), A NEW SAND‐DWELLING MARINE DINOFLAGELLATE, AND AN EMENDED DESCRIPTION OF THECADINIUM INCLINATUM BALECH 1

A new thecate, phototrophic, marine, sand‐dwelling dinoflagellate, Thecadinium mucosum Hoppenrath et Taylor sp. nov., is described from a culture isolated from Boundary Bay, British Columbia, Canada. It was illustrated with LM as well as SEM and TEM, and its position in the phylogenetic tree of dinoflagellates was investigated using molecular methods. Cells are asymmetrical, oval, laterally flattened, and strongly pigmented, with the plate formula P 3′ 1a 6′′ 7/8c 5 s 6′′′ 2′′′′. Thecal plates are smooth with scattered pores, and there is a distinctive anterior intercalary plate that could be involved in mucus secretion. Thecadinium inclinatum Balech (=Sabulodinium inclinatum (Balech) Saunders et Dodge), a thecate, marine, sand‐dwelling species that has been previously confused with what we now call T. mucosum, was also examined and illustrated through LM and SEM. New information on T. inclinatum is provided, including its plate formula P 3′ 6′′ 7c ? s 5′′′ 1p 1′′′′; we consider T. inclinatum to be related to most other Thecadinium species and not to Sabulodinium. Molecular phylogenetic analyses based on the small subunit ribosomal gene of T. mucosum, T. kofoidii (the type species of the genus), and T. dragescoi weakly support earlier suspicions based on morphology that T. dragescoi is not a member of Thecadinium. Tabulational patterns of the species suggest a relationship to the genus Amphidiniopsis.
Torbangun (Coleus amboinicus Lour) Extracts Affect Microbial and Fungus Activities

Coleus also known as Torbangun or Ati Ati plants leaves i.e. Coleusamboinicus Lour from Indonesia (CAL-I) and Coleus aromaticus (CAT-M), Pogostemon cablin (PC-M), Coleus blumei â€“red leaves (CBR-M), Coleus amboinicus â€“ (CAL-M) Coleus blumei â€“purple leaves (CBP-M) from Malaysia were collected, freeze dried and extracted with aqueous methanol. The effect of the extract was assessed on microbial and fungal activities in relation to their phytochemicals and antioxidants concentrations. The total phenolic content was determined according to the Folin-Ciocalteu method whilst antioxidant activity was assessed using 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) method. The anti-microbial and anti-fungal activities were assessed by minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) and disc diffusion methods. The result indicates that the extracts are rich sources of phytochemicals and antioxidants from the listed plants. When the effect of the extracts was assessed on microbial and fungal activities it was observed that the effect was more pronounced on the gram-positive bacteria compared to gram-negative bacteria. Furthermore, there was strong association between phytochemicals and antioxidants concentration and with the microbial and fungal activities. However, it was not consistent for all types of strains. This study shows that Torbangun plants extracts are rich in phenolic contents therefore; it can be used as free radical scavengers and antimicrobial agent apart from other traditional uses
Effect of oils on the production of exopolysaccharides and mycelial biomass in submerged culture of Schizophyllum commune

th day of incubation in medium containing 1% of the olive oil. EPS production was slightly enhanced by olive oil and castor oil, but significantly inhibited by peppermint oil. Mycelial growth was increased with the oils used at different concentrations, except 1% at 7 and 14 days of incubation. Amongst the three oil sources examined, the highest EPS production was observed in medium with 0.5% castor oil after 7 days of incubation.
Phorbol Ester-Induced Metamorphosis in the Parasitic Barnacle, Loxothylacus Panopaei

In order to induce metamorphosis in cyprids of the parasitic barnacle Loxothylacus panopaei (Gissler) (Cirripedia: Rhizocephala: Kentrogonida), we tested a number of compounds (ZR-512, 20-hydroxyecdysone, 3-isobutyl-l-methylxanthine and phorbol-12,13- dibutyrate) all known to cause metamorphosis in thoracican barnacles. Only one agent, phorbol-12,13-dibutyrate, had an effect and induced cypris larvae to complete metamorphosis without previous attachment. This suggests that diacylglycerol-activated protein kinase C plays a role in the metamorphosis of kentrogonid rhizocephalans. Rhizocephalans are highly specialized crustaceans adapted for parasitic life on decapods. The juvenile parasite passes through an internal growth stage, where a root-like trophic organ invades the tissue and haemocoelic fluid of the host (for detailed information on rhizocephalan life history, see Haeg, 1992). As in free-living barnacles, a cyprid larva is the settling stage, and in thoracicans a juvenile barnacle is formed underneath the carapace of the cyprid larva. However, the rhizocephalans develop a so-called kentrogon, which accomplishes the injection of the primordial parasite (Glenner & Høeg, 1995). The degree of specialization towards a specific host means that the cypris larvae of rhizocephalans are extremely selective in their choice of substrata. They will not settle unless a specific host or part of a host, e.g. the gills, is offered. For this reason, the study of settlement and metamorphosis of these species has met with great difficulties.
The effect of acupuncture on the quality of life of patients recovering from COVID-19

Abstract Background: Assessing the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture therapy for treating patients with COVID-19 is the main purpose of this systematic review protocol. Methods: The following electronic databases will be searched from inception to May 2020: Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, Wan-Fang Database, and Chinese Scientific Journal Database. All published randomized controlled trials in English or Chinese related to acupuncture for COVID-19 will be included. Primary outcomes are timing of the disappearance of the main symptoms (including fever, asthenia, cough disappearance rate, and temperature recovery time), and serum cytokine levels. Secondary outcomes are timing of the disappearance of accompanying symptoms (such as myalgia, expectoration, stuffiness, runny nose, pharyngalgia, anhelation, chest distress, dyspnea, crackles, headache, nausea, vomiting, anorexia, diarrhea), negative COVID-19 results rates on two consecutive occasions (not on the same day), CT image improvement, average hospitalization time, occurrence rate of common type to severe form, clinical cure rate, and mortality. Results: The results will provide a high-quality synthesis of current evidence for researchers in this subject area. Conclusion: The conclusion of our study will provide an evidence to judge whether acupuncture is an effective intervention for patients suffered from COVID-19. Ethics and dissemination: Formal ethical approval is not necessary as the data cannot be individualized. The results of this protocol will be disseminated in a peer-reviewed journal or presented at relevant conferences. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42020183736.
A comprehensive evaluation of single nucleotide polymorphisms associated with atrophic gastritis risk

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text Abstract Background: Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have been inconsistently associated with atrophic gastritis (AG) risk. This meta-analysis aimed to synthesize relevant data on SNPs associated with AG. Methods: To identify all associated studies of SNPs and AG published, databases had been searched through January 2020 from the databases of PubMed, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Web of Science, Embase, the Chinese Science and Technology Periodical Database (VIP), Cochrane Library, and Wanfang databases. With the help of network meta-analysis and Thakkinstian algorithm, the best genetic model with the strongest correlation with AG was selected, the final result – matching to the noteworthy correlation – was obtained by referring to the false positive reporting rate (false positive report probability, FPRP). Based on STREGA's stated criteria, the methodological quality of the data we collected was valued. Both Stata 14.0 and GeMTC will be used for a comprehensive review of the system and will be used in our meta-analysis. Results: This study will provide a high-quality evidence to find the SNP most associated with AG susceptibility and the best genetic model. Conclusions: This study will explore which SNP is most associated with AG susceptibility. Registration: INPLASY202050016.
Morphological Characterization of Turf-type Tall Fescue Genotypes

Recently, turfgrass breeders have developed many improved turf-type tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) cultivars. Due to the large number of cultivars currently available to turfgrass managers and researchers, we have classified turf-type tall fescue cultivars into six groups based primarily on several morphological measurements. This type of classification is important for turfgrass breeders because many breeding decisions are made based on observations in a spaced-plant nursery. The major objective of this study was to classify tall fescue cultivars and selections based on spaced-plant measurements and to then compare those results with turf performance. A spaced-plant nursery consisting of 36 cultivars and selections was established in September 1998 at Adelphia, N.J. Plant height, panicle length, flag leaf width and length, subtending leaf width and length, and subtending internode length were measured 10 days after anthesis in 1999 and 2000. Additionally, a turf trial was established at North Brunswick, N.J., that included the same 36 cultivars and selections. The turf plots were evaluated for several traits including overall turfgrass quality, density, and susceptibility to brown patch disease. Based on principal component analysis of morphological measurements, along with turf trial data, all cultivars and selections were assigned to one of six groups: forage, early-standard, standard, early semi-dwarf, semi-dwarf, and dwarf. In turf plots, the semi-dwarf, early-semi dwarf, and dwarf groups were the top- performing types in terms of overall turfgrass quality, and the forage and early-standard cultivars had the lowest overall quality ratings. The dwarf types did not perform well under summer stress, especially in terms of brown patch disease incidence. The results of this study suggest that when developing cultivars for higher maintenance situations, turf-type tall fescue breeders should focus on the development of semi-dwarf cultivars.
Sequential Whole Exome Sequencing Reveals Somatic Mutations Associated with Platinum Response in NSCLC

Purpose Resistance is one of the main limitations of successful platinum treatment in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. In this study, we aimed to identify somatic mutations associated with platinum response. Patients and Methods A total of 57 patients who received platinum-based chemotherapy only and 13 patients who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) were enrolled. Somatic mutations were obtained from targeted and whole exome sequencing (WES). Results Somatic mutations in a total of 225 genes were observed. Nonsynonymous variants in EGFR, TTN, TP53 and KRAS, and copy number variations (SCNVs) in chromosome 8q24.3 and 22q11.21 were identified to be associated with platinum response. Based on these mutations, the mutational signature associated with the failure of DNA double-strand break and calcium signaling pathways were identified to be associated with platinum response. Besides, we observed a decrease in tumor mutational burden after chemotherapy. We also evaluated the mutation spectrum consistency between cell-free DNA (cfDNA) and tissue DNA. Somatic mutations detected in cfDNA were consistent with that in tDNA, which indicated that plasma might be used for somatic mutation detection. Conclusion These results support that somatic mutations can affect platinum drug response and provide potential clinical biomarkers for NSCLC treatment.
The effect of a video-guided educational technology intervention on the academic self-concept of adolescent students with hearing impairment

Abstract Background/Objective: Academic self-concept is an important construct within the disciplines of medicine, psychology, and education. Enhancing the academic self-concept of students with special educational needs is very crucial because it is associated with their quality of life. This study aimed to examine the effect of a video-guided educational technology intervention on the academic self-concept of adolescents with hearing impairment who were attending inclusive nonresidential public schools in Southeast Nigeria. Methods: This study adopted a randomized controlled trial design. The participants were 60 junior secondary students with hearing impairment. We implemented a video-guided educational technology intervention. It relied on the use of 13-minute video clips with captions/subtitles, which covered academic self-concept-related themes. The Academic Self-Concept Questionnaire, which has been developed by Liu and Wang, was used to collect baseline, posttreatment, and follow-up data. We conducted independent-samples and paired t test and computed Cohen d and Glass Δ to analyze the data. Results: The video-guided educational technology intervention significantly improved the academic self-concept of the treatment group participants, when compared with the care-as-usual control group participants, t(58) = 9.07, P < . 001. These improvements in academic self-concept were sustained at follow up among the treatment group participants, when compared with the care-as-usual control group participants, t(48.56) = 10.898, P < . 001. Within-subjects comparisons showed that the academic self-concept of the treatment group participants had significantly improved across the different time points at which they were assessed. Conclusion: The video-guided educational technology intervention was effective in improving the academic self-concept of adolescents with hearing impairment who were attending inclusive nonresidential public schools. Large-scale studies are needed to maximize the impact of video-guided educational technology interventions on students with hearing impairments who attend inclusive non residential public schools in Nigeria.
Phenolic content and antioxidant activities in red unpolished Thai rice prevents oxidative stress in rats

Radicals causd cellular damage and eventually progresse to chronic diseases. Phenolic compounds play a crucial role in radicals scavenging. In this study, we investigated total antioxidant activities, total phenolic content and profiles in color strains of unpolished Thai rice. The level of malondialdehyde was also assayed in rats that consumed unpolished Thai rice. Red color strain had the highest antioxidant activities in all tests. It was also showed the highest phenolic content. Interestingly, total phenolic content was strongly correlated with all anti-oxidant in the methods used: 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (r = 0.958, p < 0.01), 2,2’-azinobis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (r = 0.966, p < 0.01) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (r = 0.992, p < 0.01). Malondialdehyde level in high and low dose treated groups were significantly lower than that in the control group of rats that consumed unpolished Thai rice. Red color of unpolished Thai rice, source of phenolic compounds, may play a crucial role in oxidative stress prevention. Key words: Unpolished Thai rice, phenolic compounds, antioxidant, oxidative stress.
Antimicrobial activity determination of the gum of Pistacia atlantica Desf. oil

The essential oil from the gum of Pistacia atlantica Desf. grown in Algeria was obtained by the hydrodistillation method, and its antimicrobial activities against the growth of clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli andStreptococcus pyogenes were evaluated using the agar disc diffusion, the minimal inhibitory quantity (MIQ) determination method and the liquid phase by Maruzella method. The results of the study revealed that essential oil resin of P. atlantica has antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive as well as Gram negative bacteria resistant to commonly used antimicrobial agents, and they were considerably dependent upon concentration. Key words: Gum, Pistacia atlantica Desf. oil, antimicrobial activities, clinical isolates.
Hyperhydricity in apple: ultrastuctural and physiological aspects

Summary We studied the effects of hyperhydricity on subcellular ultrastructure and physiology of leaves during in vitro regeneration of apple plants. Morphological, anatomical and ultrastructural differences between healthy leaf tissues ob tained from greenhouse-grown plants and healthy and hyperhydric leaves obtained from shoots raised from nodal shoot explants in a bioreactor were investigated by electron microscopy and confocal laser scanning microscopy. Compared with healthy leaves, hyperhydric leaves showed abnormal, often discontinuous development of the epidermis and cuticle. Stomata were malformed. The leaf lamina appeared thickened and was characterized by poor differentiation between the palisade and spongy mesophyll tissue. Hyperhydric leaves had a significantly lower chloroplast number per cell and chloroplasts showed reduced thylakoid stacking compared with healthy leaves. Hyperhydricity resulted in a general decrease in concentrations of reduced and oxidized pyridine nucleotides, reflecting a reduction in metabolic activity. The activities of antioxidant enzymes, such as superoxide dismutase, catalase, ascorbate peroxidase and glutathione reductase were higher in hyperhydric leaves than in healthy leaves, indicating that hyperhydricity was associated with oxidative stress. Chlorophyll fluorescence measurements provided evidence of oxidative damage to the photosynthetic machinery in hyperhydric leaves: photochemical efficiency of photosystem II, effective quantum efficiency and photochemical quenching were all lower in hyperhydric leaves compared with healthy leaves.
Extraction from Plant Tissue and Germination of Oospores of Peronospora viciae f.sp. pisi

A protocol was developed to extract oospores of Peronospora viciae f.sp. pisi from plant tissue and control bacterial contamination in a germination assay. Oospores were extracted by comminuting infected leaves and pods in water, sonicating the suspension and sieving it through mesh sizes 53 and 20 pm, respectively. Germination of oospores was negatively influenced by addition of chloramphenicol and penicillin. A combination of ampicillin and rifampicin strongly inhibited bacterial growth at 10 C, and did not negatively affect germination. Washing oospores in water or 0.02% Tween-80, and sonication did not influence germination. Treating oospore suspensions with cellulase buffered at pH 4.6 for 2 h digested most plant tissue but did not influence germination. Incubation in 0.05 m acetate buffer delayed germination. Germination was unaffected when oospores were incubated in 0.05 m citrate buffer.
ADDITIONS AND UPDATED NAMES FOR GRASSES OF DURANGO, MEXICO

Twelve years after publication of the floristic treatment “Las Gramineas de Durango”, a list of accepted names is updated based on recent botanical work in Durango, Mexico. Ninety-one genera, 367 species, 15 subspecies, 55 varieties and 2 forms are included. Of these, 14 genera are newly recognized for Durango, whereas 17 genera previously reported from the state are now treated as synonyms, and three genera previously recorded are excluded. At the specific and infraspecific levels, 46 changes for synonymy occurred. Fifteen species were excluded, while 43 species and 27 infraspecific taxa were added. Four species are reported as new records for the state.
Ripening Behavior of Papaya Genotypes

Skin and flesh yellowing, fruit softening, respiration rate and ethylene production were compared. Skin yellowing and flesh softening followed a similar sigmoid pattern for all lines. (.)Fruit from lines RL-1-3 and RL-1-12 did not begin to soften until the skin was 80% yellow, compared to 40% yellow for the commercial cultivars Kapoho and Sunrise. (.)The ripening patterns of line RL-1-3 and RL-1-12 could be useful in postharvest handling and provide material for studying the genetic control of fruit softening
The Evolution of Diabetic Retinopathy Screening Programmes: A Chronology of Retinal Photography from 35 mm Slides to Artificial Intelligence

Abstract As a third of people with diabetes mellitus (DM) will suffer the microvascular complications of diabetic retinopathy (DR) and therapeutic options can effectively prevent visual impairment, systematic screening has substantially reduced disease burden in developed countries. In an effort to tackle the rising incidence of DM, screening programmes have modernized in synchrony with technical and infrastructural advancements. Patient evaluation has shifted from face-to-face ophthalmologist-based review delivered through community grassroots to asynchronous store-and-forward modern telemedicine platforms commissioned on a nationwide scale. First pioneered with primitive 35-mm slide film retinal photography, the last decade has seen an emergence of high resolution and widefield imaging devices, which may reveal extents of DR indiscernible to the clinician but with implications of potential earlier identification. Similar progress has been seen in image analysis approaches – automated image analysis of retinal photographs of DR has evolved from qualitative feature detection to rules-based algorithms to autonomous artificial intelligence-powered classification. Such models have, relatively rapidly, been validated and are now receiving approval from health regulation authorities with deployment into the clinical sphere. In this review, we chart the evolution of global DR screening programmes since their inception highlighting major milestones in healthcare infrastructure, telemedicine approaches and imaging devices that have shaped the robust and effective frameworks recognised today. We also provide an outlook for the future of DR screening in the context of recent technological advancements with respect to their limitations in current times.