Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Improving Storage Policy in Korean Public Cord Blood Banks: Comparison of Quality between Long-Term and Short-Term Storage of Cord Blood

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. CopyrightC2020 The Korean Society of Blood Transfusion 한국 공공 제대혈은행의 보관 정책 개선: 장기 보관 및 단기 보관 제대혈의 품질 비교
“It's All Sort of Cool and Interesting…but What Do I Do With It?” A Qualitative Study of Stroke Survivors' Perceptions of Surface Electromyography

Background: Stroke is one of the most common neurologic injuries worldwide. Over decades, evidence-based neurorehabilitation research and advancements in wireless, wearable sensor design have supported the deployment of technologies to facilitate recovery after stroke. Surface electromyography (sEMG) is one such technology, however, clinical application remains limited. To understand this translational practice gap and improve clinical uptake, it is essential to include stakeholder voices in an analysis of neurorehabilitation practice, the acceptability of current sEMG technologies, and facilitators and barriers to sEMG use in the clinic and the community. The purpose of this study was to foreground the perspectives of stroke survivors to gain a better understanding of their experiences in neurorehabilitation, the technologies they have used during their recovery, and their opinions of lab-designed and commercially-available sEMG systems. Methods: A qualitative, phenomenological study was completed. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight stroke survivors (age range 49–78 years, 6 months to 12 years post-stroke) and two caregivers from a large metropolitan region. A demonstration of four sEMG systems was provided to gather perceptions of sensor design, features and function, and user interface. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and coded for analysis using constant comparison until data saturation was reached. Results: Three themes emerged from the data: (1) “Surface EMG has potential…. but…” highlights the recognition of sEMG as a valuable tool but reveals a lack of understanding and need for clear meaning from the data; (2) “Tracking incremental progress over days or years is important” highlights the persistence of hope and potential benefit of sEMG in detecting small changes that may inform neurorehabilitation practice and policy; and (3) “Neurorehabilitation technology is cumbersome” highlights the tension between optimizing therapy time and trying new technologies, managing cost, logistics and set-up, and desired technology features. Conclusion: Further translation of sEMG technology for neurorehabilitation holds promise for stroke survivors, but sEMG system design and user interface needs refinement. The process of using sEMG technology and products must be simple and provide meaningful insight to recovery. Including stroke survivors directly in translational efforts is essential to improve uptake in clinical environments.
Probiotics, Prebiotics, Synbiotics, and Paraprobiotics as a Therapeutic Alternative for Intestinal Mucositis

Intestinal mucositis, a cytotoxic side effect of the antineoplastic drug 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), is characterized by ulceration, inflammation, diarrhea, and intense abdominal pain, making it an important issue for clinical medicine. Given the seriousness of the problem, therapeutic alternatives have been sought as a means to ameliorate, prevent, and treat this condition. Among the alternatives available to address this side effect of treatment with 5-FU, the most promising has been the use of probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics, and paraprobiotics. This review addresses the administration of these “biotics” as a therapeutic alternative for intestinal mucositis caused by 5-FU. It describes the effects and benefits related to their use as well as their potential for patient care.
Practical implementation of ecosystem monitoring for the ecosystem approach to management

Summary The implementation of the ecosystem approach means there is a need to monitor an increased range of environmental conditions and ecological components in the marine environment. Many existing monitoring surveys have successfully added tasks or components to an existing monitoring programme while maintaining consistency of time series. This approach is not practical when the immediate data need for a wide range of ecosystem components requires substantial changes to the programme or when collections of different ecological components have conflicting requirements. We propose a more integrated approach aimed at not only assessing change, but simultaneously delivering evidence of the underlying reasons for observed changes. Using principles developed from observational and modelling efforts in the Barents Sea and the wider literature, we distil the essential characteristics an integrated monitoring programme must exhibit. We demonstrate how such an integrated programme can offer substantial operational efficiencies compared to a coordinated approach. Integrated monitoring based on ecosystem processes has significant advantages over the coordinated approach that uses ecosystem states independently and focuses on maximizing precision of each indicator. While integration is needed to address current policy requirements, changes to monitoring risk time-series consistency. However, we explain how such risks can be minimized while at the same time establishing a framework that allows the incorporation of important information from other less flexible data sources to be used in the assessment. Policy implications. Process-based integrated monitoring is essential for the ecosystem approach. The focus on ecosystem processes provides the essential elements for future proof efficient management: (i) It provides both unbiased status estimates for reporting requirements and describes the causes of state change. (ii) It minimizes risks to historic time series while coping with changing ecological conditions. (iii) It quantifies ecosystem processes and provides the means to test hypotheses on how different processes interact. (iv) It uses all available information efficiently when used in conjunction with integrated assessments. (v) It is effective due to its adaptability to meet future policy demands and ecosystem requirements while using data in the most efficient manner given these demands.
Systematic variation in the temperature dependence of bacterial carbon use efficiency

Understanding the temperature dependence of carbon use efficiency (CUE) is critical for understanding microbial physiology, population dynamics, and community-level responses to changing environmental temperatures 1,2. Currently, microbial CUE is widely assumed to decrease with temperature 3,4. However, this assumption is based largely on community-level data, which are influenced by many confounding factors 5, with little empirical evidence at the level of individual strains. Here, we experimentally characterise the CUE thermal response for a diverse set of environmental bacterial isolates. We find that contrary to current thinking, bacterial CUE typically responds either positively to temperature, or has no discernible temperature response, within biologically meaningful temperature ranges. Using a global data-synthesis, we show that our empirical results are generalisable across a much wider diversity of bacteria than have previously been tested. This systematic variation in the thermal responses of bacterial CUE stems from the fact that relative to respiration rates, bacterial population growth rates typically respond more strongly to temperature, and are also subject to weaker evolutionary constraints. Our results provide fundamental new insights into microbial physiology, and a basis for more accurately modelling the effects of shorter-term thermal fluctuations as well as longer-term climatic warming on microbial communities.
Assistive Technology to Promote Communication and Social Interaction for People With Deafblindness: A Systematic Review

Background: People with deafblindness experience stigmatization, exclusion, and isolation. Due to complex communication challenges, feelings of isolation and exclusion can increase. However, assistive technology can change these negative outcomes. The aim of this systematic review is to synthesize and analyze the research published in journal articles focused on the use of assistive technology to improve communication and social interaction for people with deafblindness. Methods: A qualitative review study, examining journal articles focusing on the use of assistive technology to support social interaction of people with deafblindness as found in the following databases: IEEE Xplore, ProQuest, Cochrane, Embase, CINANHL, PsychINFO, Web of Science, PubMed, and ProQuest, was conducted. An in-depth analysis of the selected articles was performed. Results: Nine articles were included in this systematic review. The Technology Readiness Levels indicated that the communication assistive technologies reported in the included journal articles span across readiness levels, but mostly remained in the prototype phase. The identified themes are: (1) the objective of the assistive technology, with as sub-themes two-way communication, and access to information; (2) design and development, with as sub-themes new communication assistive technology design, and development, usability and co-creators; (3) acquisition and implementation; and (4) the impact of the assistive technology, with as sub-themes social integration and expansion, autonomy and confidence, and well-being. Conclusions: This systematic review provides a roadmap for the way forward in the use of assistive technology in communication and social interaction for people with deafblindness. Co-creation should start during the design and development stages and continue into testing, evaluating and implementation. A greater understanding of the unique communication needs and challenges may contribute to the development of more advanced technologies which can be used in daily situations and contribute to support two-way communication and social inclusion of people with deafblindness. Furthermore, a challenge remains to focus on the development of assistive technology supporting declarative communication, which includes giving comments, declarations, predictions, and reflections during a conversation. More research conducted over the long-term is needed to bring the communication assistive technologies into more advanced stages of readiness.
FUS-ALS mutants alter FMRP phase separation equilibrium and impair protein translation

Cytoplasmic mislocalization of FUS-ALS mutants determines aberrant FMRP condensates and protein synthesis repression. FUsed in Sarcoma (FUS) is a multifunctional RNA binding protein (RBP). FUS mutations lead to its cytoplasmic mislocalization and cause the neurodegenerative disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Here, we use mouse and human models with endogenous ALS-associated mutations to study the early consequences of increased cytoplasmic FUS. We show that in axons, mutant FUS condensates sequester and promote the phase separation of fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP), another RBP associated with neurodegeneration. This leads to repression of translation in mouse and human FUS-ALS motor neurons and is corroborated in vitro, where FUS and FMRP copartition and repress translation. Last, we show that translation of FMRP-bound RNAs is reduced in vivo in FUS-ALS motor neurons. Our results unravel new pathomechanisms of FUS-ALS and identify a novel paradigm by which mutations in one RBP favor the formation of condensates sequestering other RBPs, affecting crucial biological functions, such as protein translation.
Subject-specific mechanical loading of bones: Improved healing of mouse vertebral defects using adaptive loading regimes

Methods to repair bone defects arising from trauma, resection, or disease, continue to be sought after. Cyclic mechanical loading is well established to influence bone (re)modelling activity, in which bone formation and resorption are correlated to micro-scale strain. Based on this, the application of mechanical stimulation across a bone defect could improve healing. However, if ignoring the mechanical integrity of defected bone, loading regimes have a high potential to either cause damage or be ineffective. This study explores real-time finite element (rtFE) methods that use three-dimensional structural analyses from micro-computed tomography images to estimate effective peak cyclic loads in a subject-specific and time-dependent manner. It demonstrates the concept in a cyclically loaded mouse caudal vertebral bone defect model. Using rtFE analysis combined with adaptive mechanical loading, mouse bone healing was significantly improved over non-loaded controls, with no incidence of vertebral fractures. Such rtFE-driven adaptive loading regimes demonstrated here could be relevant to clinical bone defect healing scenarios, where mechanical loading can become patient-specific and more efficacious. This is achieved by accounting for initial bone defect conditions and spatio-temporal healing, both being factors that are always unique to the patient.
A Practical Protocol for a Comprehensive Evaluation of Sulfur Fumigation of Trichosanthis Radix Based on Both Non-Targeted and Widely Targeted Metabolomics

Trichosanthis Radix (TR) is one of the most severely sulfur-fumigated herbs in the market, whose transformation mechanism of chemical compositions and sulfur-fumigation markers of TR have not been clarified. To excavate characteristic sulfur-fumigation markers of TR samples, this study brings up a practical protocol using both ultra-performance liquid chromatography/quadrupole time-of-flight-mass spectrum (UPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS)-based non-targeted metabolomics and ultra-performance liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization/quadrupole multiple-stage linear ion-trap mass spectrum (UPLC-ESI-QTRAP-MS/MS)-based widely targeted metabolomics. The results of study demonstrated that five characteristic markers are sulfur-containing components, which were identified as p-Hydroxybenzyl hydrogen sulfite, cucurbitacin D sulfite I, cucurbitacin D sulfite II, cucurbitacin B sulfite I, and cucurbitacin B sulfite II, respectively. Additionally, cucurbitacin B and D were also filtered and identified as the characteristic sulfur-fumigation markers. Meanwhile, the different sulfur-fumigation extent of TR samples was tested by chemical transformations analysis and sulfur dioxide residues test. Further, 58.16% (139 of 239) of the differential metabolites content significantly reduced in sulfur-fumigated TR samples. Besides, 20 kinds of non-sulfur marker metabolites were tested to evaluate the quality of TR samples before and after sulfur fumigation, predominantly including phenolic acids, amino acids, lipids and nucleotides. Taking TR as an example, this work provides a comprehensive practical protocol for the quality supervision of sulfur-fumigation herbs.
Genome-Wide Association Study Reveals Genomic Regions Associated With Ten Agronomical Traits in Wheat Under Late-Sown Conditions

Poor understanding of the genetic and molecular basis of heat tolerance component traits is a major bottleneck in designing heat tolerant wheat cultivars. The impact of terminal heat stress is generally reported in the case of late sown wheat. In this study, our aim was to identify genomic regions for various agronomic traits under late sown conditions by using genome-wide association approach. An association mapping panel of 205 wheat accessions was evaluated under late sown conditions at three different locations in India. Genotyping of the association panel revealed 15,886 SNPs, out of which 11,911 SNPs with exact physical locations on the wheat reference genome were used in association analysis. A total of 69 QTLs (10 significantly associated and 59 suggestive) were identified for ten different traits including productive tiller number (17), grain yield (14), plant height (12), grain filling rate (6), grain filling duration (5), days to physiological maturity (4), grain number (3), thousand grain weight (3), harvest index (3), and biomass (2). Out of these associated QTLs, 17 were novel for traits, namely PTL (3), GY (2), GFR (6), HI (3) and GNM (3). Moreover, five consistent QTLs across environments were identified for GY (4) and TGW (1). Also, 11 multi-trait SNPs and three hot spot regions on Chr1Ds, Chr2BS, Chr2DS harboring many QTLs for many traits were identified. In addition, identification of heat tolerant germplasm lines based on favorable alleles HD2888, IC611071, IC611273, IC75240, IC321906, IC416188, and J31-170 would facilitate their targeted introgression into popular wheat cultivars. The significantly associated QTLs identified in the present study can be further validated to identify robust markers for utilization in marker-assisted selection (MAS) for development of heat tolerant wheat cultivars.
Determination of the resistance types to Spodoptera cosmioides (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in soybean genotypes

O objetivo do presente trabalho foi avaliar os tipos de resistencia de genotipos de soja a Spodoptera cosmioides (Walker) em laboratorio. Os genotipos de soja testados foram: ‘IAC 100’ (padrao resistente), ‘BR16’ (padrao suscetivel), ‘Dowling’, PI 227687, PI 274454, ‘IGRA RA 626 RR’, PI 227682, ‘BRSGO 8360’, ‘IGRA RA 516 RR’ e ‘P 98Y11 RR’. Foram realizados testes de nao preferencia para alimentacao com e sem chance de escolha utilizando-se duas lagartas recem-eclodidas por genotipo ou uma lagarta de 3o instar por genotipo em ambos os testes. Avaliou-se a atratividade das lagartas em diferentes intervalos de tempo, e ao termino dos experimentos, quantificou-se a area foliar consumida. No teste de antibiose, lagartas recem-eclodidas foram individualizadas em placas de Petri, onde foram fornecidos foliolos dos genotipos durante toda a fase larval, e os seguintes parâmetros biologicos foram avaliados: periodo e viabilidade de larvas, pupas e total (larvas + pupas), peso de lagartas e de pupas, razao sexual e longevidade dos adultos. Em geral, nos testes de preferencia para alimentacao, nao se verificaram diferencas significativas no consumo foliar entre os genotipos. No ensaio de antibiose, os genotipos PI 227687, PI 227682 e ‘IAC 100’ proporcionaram 100% de mortalidade larval e os menores pesos de lagartas, variando entre 37,65 a 85,56 mg. Os genotipos de soja testados nao apresentam resistencia do tipo nao preferencia para alimentacao a S. cosmioides e PI 227687, PI 227682 e ‘IAC 100’ destacaram-se por serem portadores de antibiose.
Mapping of safe and early chemo-attenuated live Plasmodium falciparum immunization identifies immune signature of vaccine efficacy

Potent protection against malaria can be induced by attenuated live-immunization with Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) sporozoites (SPZ). However, a better understanding of the critical processes involved in the establishment of protective immunity is needed. We explored the safety and vaccine efficacy of early chemo-attenuation of PfSPZ under atovaquone-proguanil (AP). AP caused early arrest of P. berghei liver stages. Despite the absence of replication, robust protection in mice correlated with parasite-specific effector-memory CD8+ T-cell responses. In a phase I clinical trial a single dose of AP prevented Pf infections in the liver of adult, human subjects who received three doses of 5.12x104 or 1.5x105 PfSPZ by direct venous inoculation combined with oral AP. However, only 2 of 8 (25%) and 2 of 10 (20%), respectively, were protected against controlled human malaria infection (CHMI) 10 weeks after the last vaccine dose, despite levels of IgG antibodies to the Pf circumsporozoite protein (PfCSP) comparable to those achieved in fully protected volunteers after immunization with 5.12x104 PfSPZ with chloroquine chemoprophylaxis active only against subsequent blood stages. We identify lower IgG recognition of the secreted liver stage-specific antigens LISP2 and LSA1 and the multi-stage antigen MSP5 as immune signatures of inferior vaccine efficacy compared to PfSPZ with chloroquine chemoprophylaxis. In conclusion, we show that immune signatures of liver stage antigens, but neither an established rodent malaria model nor concentrations of antibodies against the major surface protein of sporozoites, permit prediction of vaccine efficacy. Thus, this study provides a clear rationale for the development of live sporozoite vaccination protocols that boost exposure to Pf liver stage antigens. Significance Statement Our research demonstrates that attenuation of liver infection of high doses of Plasmodium falciparum sporozoites by concomitant single-dose administration of atovaquone-proguanil is safe in humans. However, vaccine efficacy was modest when compared to an identical protocol using chloroquine that acts only on the subsequent blood infection. Immune signatures of secreted P. falciparum liver stage antigens, but neither an established rodent malaria model nor concentrations of sporozoite antibodies, permit prediction of vaccine efficacy.
Understanding the Nature of Oneness Experience in Meditators Using Collective Intelligence Methods

Research on meditation and mindfulness practice has flourished in recent years. While much of this research has focused on well-being outcomes associated with mindfulness practice, less research has focused on how perception of self may change as a result of mindfulness practice, or whether these changes in self-perception may be mechanisms of mindfulness in action. This is somewhat surprising given that mindfulness derives from traditions often described as guiding people to realize and experience the non-separation of self from the world or its “oneness” with the whole of reality. The current study used a collective intelligence methodology, Interactive Management (IM), to explore the nature of oneness experiences. Five IM sessions were conducted with five separate groups of experienced meditators. Participants generated, clarified, and selected oneness self-perceptions they believed most characterized their experience both during meditation and in their everyday experience in the world. Each group also developed structural models describing how highly ranked aspects of oneness self-perceptions are interrelated in a system. Consistent themes and categories of oneness experience appeared across the five IM sessions, with changes in the sense of space (unboundedness), time, identity, wholeness, and flow highlighted as most influential. Results are discussed in light of emerging theory and research on oneness self-perception and non-dual awareness.
rec-Y2H matrix screening reveals a vast potential for direct protein-protein interactions among RNA binding proteins

RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) are crucial factors of post-transcriptional gene regulation and their modes of action are intensely investigated. At the center of attention are RNA motifs that guide where RBPs bind. However, sequence motifs are often poor predictors of RBP-RNA interactions in vivo. It is hence believed that many RBPs recognize RNAs as complexes, to increase specificity and regulatory possibilities. To probe the potential for complex formation among RBPs, we assembled a library of 978 mammalian RBPs and used rec-Y2H screening to detect direct interactions between RBPs, sampling > 600 K interactions. We discovered 1994 new interactions and demonstrate that interacting RBPs bind RNAs adjacently in vivo. We further find that the mRNA binding region and motif preferences of RBPs can deviate, depending on their adjacently binding interaction partners. Finally, we reveal novel RBP interaction networks among major RNA processing steps and show that splicing impairing RBP mutations observed in cancer rewire spliceosomal interaction networks. Graphical abstract