Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Mitigation of Copper Stress in Maize by Inoculation with Paenibacillus polymyxa and Bacillus circulans

Copper (Cu) is a micronutrient that assumes a principal role in plant growth and development. However, its excess concentration in soil is imperiling crop productivity. Inoculation with different bacterial strains in cereals could modify growth traits, photosynthetic effectiveness, and generation of strong antioxidant defense systems to make them more tolerant of Cu stress. Therefore, a pot study was designed to test plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) including Paenibacillus polymyxa and Bacillus circulans to Cu exposed maize (Zea mays L.) plants. Increasing Cu (100 to 500 µM of CuSO4) concentration decreased growth traits, photosynthetic pigments, soluble sugars, phosphorous (P) and potassium (K) contents, and the activity of catalase (CAT) but increased proline and malondialdehyde (MDA) content, the activity of peroxidase (POD) and Cu ions at root and shoot level. Moreover, the bacterial treatment also modulated the antioxidant capability in stress-free plants. Nevertheless, inoculation with P. polymyxa and B. circulans alleviated Cu-induced growth, photosynthetic pigments and mineral nutrient (P and K) on one hand and regulating the pools of osmolytes and antioxidant enzymes, whilst simultaneously reducing MDA and Cu root and shoot contents. These improved activities of antioxidant enzymes and the regulation of osmolytes content elicited by the blend of bacterial inoculation would have retained the ability of maize plants to confer resilience to Cu stress. This study further affirms that the application of two specific bacterial strains to maize plants proved very effective to ameliorate the Cu toxicity.
Meta‐analysis of the effects of venous super‐drainage in deep inferior epigastric artery perforator flaps for breast reconstruction

Venous congestion is the most common vascular complication of the deep inferior epigastric artery perforator (DIEP) flaps. Adding a second venous drainage by anastomosing a flap vein and a recipient vein (super‐drainage) is considered the solution of choice. Evidence to support this procedure, had not yet been confirmed by an analysis of the literature. We aimed to provide this evidence.
Pregnancy complicated by refractory severe hypercholanaemia from sodium taurocholate co‐transporting polypeptide deficiency

Sodium taurocholate co‐transporting polypeptide deficiency is a rare metabolic autosomal recessive condition resulting in critically elevated plasma bile acid levels. Hypercholanaemia in similar conditions such as intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy has been associated with an increased risk of adverse obstetric outcomes including stillbirth. We present the first case of Sodium taurocholate co‐transporting polypeptide deficiency in a current pregnancy in a patient with one previous stillbirth in the context of severe hypercholanaemia, where conventional treatments for cholestasis including ursodeoxycholic acid, rifampicin and cholestyramine were ineffective. Therapeutic plasma exchange and novel treatment with elobixibat were trialed with mixed results. The pregnancy resulted in an iatrogenic preterm delivery of a live infant at 32 weeks gestation.
Temporal coding of echo spectral shape in the bat auditory cortex

Echolocating bats rely upon spectral interference patterns in echoes to reconstruct fine details of a reflecting object’s shape. However, the acoustic modulations required to do this are extremely brief, raising questions about how their auditory cortex encodes and processes such rapid and fine spectrotemporal details. Here, we tested the hypothesis that biosonar target shape representation in the primary auditory cortex (A1) is more reliably encoded by changes in spike timing (latency) than spike rates and that latency is sufficiently precise to support a synchronization-based ensemble representation of this critical auditory object feature space. To test this, we measured how the spatiotemporal activation patterns of A1 changed when naturalistic spectral notches were inserted into echo mimic stimuli. Neurons tuned to notch frequencies were predicted to exhibit longer latencies and lower mean firing rates due to lower signal amplitudes at their preferred frequencies, and both were found to occur. Comparative analyses confirmed that significantly more information was recoverable from changes in spike times relative to concurrent changes in spike rates. With this data, we reconstructed spatiotemporal activation maps of A1 and estimated the level of emerging neuronal spike synchrony between cortical neurons tuned to different frequencies. The results support existing computational models, indicating that spectral interference patterns may be efficiently encoded by a cascading tonotopic sequence of neural synchronization patterns within an ensemble of network activity that relates to the physical features of the reflecting object surface.
Abnormal structural connectivity in progressive supranuclear palsy—Richardson syndrome

Progressive supranuclear palsy‐Richardson syndrome (PSP‐RS) is characterized by symmetrical parkinsonism with postural instability and frontal dysfunction. This study aims to use the whole brain structural connectome (SC) to gain insights into the underlying disconnectivity which may be implicated in the clinical features of PSP‐RS.
Long noncoding RNA H19 acts as a miR‐29b sponge to promote wound healing in diabetic foot ulcer

Aberrant expression of long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) H19 and microRNA (miR)‐29b has been implicated in the complications of diabetes mellitus (DM). As a common and important complication of DM, diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) is characterized by high incidence and poor prognosis. Herein, we explored the role of lncRNA H19 in wound healing of DFU. Differentially expressed DM‐related lncRNAs were initially screened by microarray data analysis. DFU models were then induced in DM mouse models. The functional role and interaction of lncRNA H19, miR‐29b and FBN1 in DFU were subsequently determined by examining the proliferation, migration, and apoptosis of fibroblasts after silencing H19, inhibiting or overexpressing miR‐29b and FBN1. According to microarray‐based analysis, lncRNA H19 was upregulated in DM. In the ulcerative edge tissues of DFU, high expression of lncRNA H19 and FBN1 and low expression of miR‐29b were observed. FBN1 was identified to be a target gene of miR‐29b. LncRNA H19 could competitively bind to miR‐29b, and then, inhibited its expression, which consequently upregulating FBN1. Silencing of lncRNA H19 led to inhibited proliferation, migration, and enhanced apoptosis of fibroblasts, accompanied by downregulated FBN1 but upregulated miR‐29b, which diminished the expression of TGF‐β1, Smad3, FN, and Col‐1 and reduced extracellular matrix accumulation. Altogether, upregulation of lncRNA H19 can elevate the expression of FBN1 through competitively binding to miR‐29b, which enhances the proliferation, migration, and inhibits apoptosis of fibroblasts, thus facilitating the wound healing of DFU.
Skeletal Phenotypes Due to Abnormalities in Mitochondrial Protein Homeostasis and Import

Mitochondrial disease represents a collection of rare genetic disorders caused by mitochondrial dysfunction. These disorders can be quite complex and heterogeneous, and it is recognized that mitochondrial disease can affect any tissue at any age. The reasons for this variability are not well understood. In this review, we develop and expand a subset of mitochondrial diseases including predominantly skeletal phenotypes. Understanding how impairment ofdiverse mitochondrial functions leads to a skeletal phenotype will help diagnose and treat patients with mitochondrial disease and provide additional insight into the growing list of human pathologies associated with mitochondrial dysfunction. The underlying disease genes encode factors involved in various aspects of mitochondrial protein homeostasis, including proteases and chaperones, mitochondrial protein import machinery, mediators of inner mitochondrial membrane lipid homeostasis, and aminoacylation of mitochondrial tRNAs required for translation. We further discuss a complex of frequently associated phenotypes (short stature, cataracts, and cardiomyopathy) potentially explained by alterations to steroidogenesis, a process regulated by mitochondria. Together, these observations provide novel insight into the consequences of impaired mitochondrial protein homeostasis.
Contribution of Major Groups of Food Products to the Daily Intake of Selected Elements—Results from Analytical Determinations Supported by Chemometric Analysis

Food is a major source of minerals for humans. The main objective of this study was to determine the intake level of 10 essential macro- (Na, K, Ca, and Mg) and trace elements (Cu, Zn, Mn, Fe, Cr, and Se) with major food groups among young adults. Dietary intake of elements was evaluated using the 24-h dietary recall technique in combination with F-AAS and ICP-OES methods. A very high intake of sodium and a very low intake of calcium, combined with inappropriate sodium/potassium ratio, may be harmful to the health of the population. Dietary intake of trace elements was within the range of reference values in the subjects, with cereals being the major source of a majority of those elements, while meat (38% for Na), vegetables (25% for K), and milk products (75% for Ca) were the main contributors to the daily dietary intake of macroelements. PCA revealed several visible trends in the datasetAmong men, the intake of Zn, Cr Na and K was significantly correlated with the consumption of meat and vegetables, whereas Mg, Se, Fe and Cu with cereals and water and beverages. Among women, the intake of Mg was significantly correlated with the consumption of meat and vegetables.
Loss of Class III Phosphoinositide 3-Kinase Vps34 Results in Cone Degeneration

Simple Summary Cone photoreceptors are the class of neurons in the retina that support daylight and color vision. In humans and rodents, the cone photoreceptors constitute a small percentage of total retinal photoreceptors; in some retinal diseases, these cells malfunction over time and cease to work, and eventually die. Class III phosphoinositide 3-kinase, also known as vacuole protein sorting 34 (Vps34), generates phosphoinositide 3-phosphate (PI(3)P), a lipid molecule that transmits information inside of the cell. PI(3)P plays an essential role in removing injured cells, a process called autophagy, which maintains a healthy environment, as well as in protein trafficking inside of the cell. Furthermore, PI(3)P can act as a bridging molecule for proteins to bind to each other. We eliminated the class III phosphoinositide 3-kinase in mouse cones, which resulted in the loss of visual function and death of cone cells. Our studies suggest that PI(3)P generated by class III phosphoinositide 3-kinase is essential for cone photoreceptor function and survival. Abstract The major pathway for the production of the low-abundance membrane lipid phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate (PI(3)P) synthesis is catalyzed by class III phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) Vps34. The absence of Vps34 was previously found to disrupt autophagy and other membrane-trafficking pathways in some sensory neurons, but the roles of phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate and Vps34 in cone photoreceptor cells have not previously been explored. We found that the deletion of Vps34 in neighboring rods in mouse retina did not disrupt cone function up to 8 weeks after birth, despite diminished rod function. Immunoblotting and lipid analysis of cones isolated from the cone-dominant retinas of the neural retina leucine zipper gene knockout mice revealed that both PI(3)P and Vps34 protein are present in mouse cones. To determine whether Vps34 and PI(3)P are important for cone function, we conditionally deleted Vps34 in cone photoreceptor cells of the mouse retina. Overall retinal morphology and rod function appeared to be unaffected. However, the loss of Vps34 in cones resulted in the loss of structure and function. There was a substantial reduction throughout the retina in the number of cones staining for M-opsin, S-opsin, cone arrestin, and peanut agglutinin, revealing degeneration of cones. These studies indicate that class III PI3K, and presumably PI(3)P, play essential roles in cone photoreceptor cell function and survival.
Cold-inducible RNA binding protein promotes breast cancer cell malignancy by regulating Cystatin C levels

Cold-inducible RNA binding protein (CIRBP) is a stress-responsive protein that promotes cancer development and inflammation. Critical to most CIRBP functions is its capacity to bind and posttranscriptionally modulate mRNA. However, a transcriptome-wide analysis of CIRBP mRNA targets in cancer has not yet been performed. Here, we use an ex vivo breast cancer model to identify CIRBP targets and mechanisms. We find that CIRBP transcript levels correlate with breast cancer subtype and are an indicator of luminal A/B prognosis. Accordingly, overexpression of CIRBP in nontumoral MCF-10A cells promotes cell growth and clonogenicity, while depletion of CIRBP from luminal A MCF-7 cells has opposite effects. We use RNA immunoprecipitation followed by high-throughput sequencing (RIP-seq) to identify a set of 204 high confident CIRBP targets in MCF-7 cells. About 10% of these showed complementary changes after CIRBP manipulation in MCF-10A and MCF-7 cells, and were highly interconnected with known breast cancer genes. To test the potential of CIRBP-mediated regulation of these targets in breast cancer development, we focused on Cystatin C (CST3), one of the most highly interconnected genes, encoding a protein that displays tumor suppressive capacities. CST3 depletion restored the effects of CIRBP depletion in MCF-7 cells, indicating that CIRBP functions, at least in part, by down-regulating CST3 levels. Our data provide a resource of CIRBP targets in breast cancer, and identify CST3 as a novel downstream mediator of CIRBP function.
Expectancy-Value Model Related to Physical Activity Behaviors in Chilean and Spanish Adolescents

The purpose of the study is to comparatively test the expectancy-value model in Chilean and Spanish samples. The model proposes: a social world (composed of social support, physical activity teasing, and weight teasing), expectancy (composed of perceived competence and appearance), task values (composed of enjoyment and stress) to predict physical activity and intention to be physically active. Participants were 497 (Chilean) and 1365 (Spanish) adolescents. Structural equation models and multi-group modelling were used. All the models presented adequate fit to the data. The results show that physical activity teasing is a contextual and essential variable; perceived competence and enjoyment influenced physical activity and intentions to be physically active; some differences appeared in the prediction of physical activity and intentions to be physically active when the multi-group model was run. Culturally tailored interventions are key to improving physical activity (PA) behaviors.
Mediterranean Diet Adherence and Dietary Attitudes in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease

A specific diet regimen is a promising way of managing inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), with the Mediterranean diet (MD) being a likely candidate due to its potential to modulate gut inflammation. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate nutritional habits and dietary attitudes of IBD patients, and to assess their adherence to the Mediterranean diet. The study enrolled 50 Crohn’s disease and 44 ulcerative colitis patients, with clinical and laboratory parameters taken. Dietary attitudes were examined, and adherence to MD was assessed using the Mediterranean Diet Service Score (MDSS). Average MDSS score was 6.0 (5.0–7.0), while only nine participants fulfilled criteria for Mediterranean diet adherence. Moreover, all of them were men (p = 0.021). Low percentage of adherence to recommended guidelines was observed for eating olive oil (25.5%), fresh fruit (14.9%), and vegetables (10.6%). Significant positive correlation was observed between total MDSS points and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels (p = 0.002). The majority of the patients (86.2%) considered that a more controlled diet could reduce their IBD symptoms, while 17% visited a nutritionist for diet advice. The majority of patients (84%) would visit educational programs regarding nutrition. In conclusion, adherence to MD was very low, while IBD patients were willing to extend their nutritional knowledge if proper educational programs were organized.
Isolation and Characterization of Bacillus cereus Phage vB_BceP-DLc1 Reveals the Largest Member of the Φ29-Like Phages

Bacillus phage φ29 and its relatives have been considered as one of the most important model organisms for DNA replication, transcription, morphogenesis, DNA packaging studies, and nanotechnology applications. Here, we isolated and characterized a new member of the φ29-like phage, named Bacillus cereus phage vB_BceP-DLc1. This phage, with a unique inserted gene cluster, has the largest genome among known φ29-like phages. DLc1 can use the surface carbohydrate structures of the host cell as receptors and only infects the most related B. cereus strains, showing high host-specificity. The adsorption rate constant and life cycle of DLc1 under experimental conditions were also determined. Not only stable under temperatures below 55 °C and pH range from 5 to 11, the new phage also showed tolerance to high concentrations of NaCl, 75% ethanol, chloroform, and mechanical vortex, which is preferable for practical use in the food and pharmaceutical industries.
Calcium salts of long-chain fatty acids from linseed oil decrease methane production by altering the rumen microbiome in vitro

Calcium salts of long-chain fatty acids (CSFA) from linseed oil have the potential to reduce methane (CH4) production from ruminants; however, there is little information on the effect of supplementary CSFA on rumen microbiome as well as CH4 production. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of supplementary CSFA on ruminal fermentation, digestibility, CH4 production, and rumen microbiome in vitro. We compared five treatments: three CSFA concentrations—0% (CON), 2.25% (FAL) and 4.50% (FAH) on a dry matter (DM) basis—15 mM of fumarate (FUM), and 20 mg/kg DM of monensin (MON). The results showed that the proportions of propionate in FAL, FAH, FUM, and MON were increased, compared with CON (P < 0.05). Although DM and neutral detergent fiber expressed exclusive of residual ash (NDFom) digestibility decreased in FAL and FAH compared to those in CON (P < 0.05), DM digestibility-adjusted CH4 production in FAL and FAH was reduced by 38.2% and 63.0%, respectively, compared with that in CON (P < 0.05). The genera Ruminobacter, Succinivibrio, Succiniclasticum, Streptococcus, Selenomonas.1, and Megasphaera, which are related to propionate production, were increased (P < 0.05), while Methanobrevibacter and protozoa counts, which are associated with CH4 production, were decreased in FAH, compared with CON (P < 0.05). The results suggested that the inclusion of CSFA significantly changed the rumen microbiome, leading to the acceleration of propionate production and the reduction of CH4 production. In conclusion, although further in vivo study is needed to evaluate the reduction effect on rumen CH4 production, CSFA may be a promising candidate for reduction of CH4 emission from ruminants.
Assessment of Bioactive Phenolic Compounds and Antioxidant Activity of Blackberry Wines

Blackberry wine is a natural source of bioactive phenolic compounds that have profound antioxidant potential. The objectives of the present research were to assess the phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity of blackberry wines (BW), and to use the chemometric analysis to differentiate among the two groups of samples, i.e., conventional and organic. Fifteen BW samples were analyzed for their total polyphenol index, total polyphenols, total flavonoids, total tannins, total monomeric anthocyanins and antioxidant activity by the appropriate spectrophotometric methods. The concentrations of individual phenolic acids (gallic acid, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, p-coumaric acid and cinnamic acid) and trans-resveratrol were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. A comparison between the two groups of investigated BW samples revealed a statistically significant difference in the concentration of caffeic acid and p-coumaric acid, both being higher in the organic BW samples. Furthermore, the results showed a series of statistically highly significant relationships between the analyzed constituents (caffeic acid and p-coumaric acid). The antioxidant activity of the investigated wines was proportional to the concentrations of bioactive phytochemicals.
Biosynthesis, total synthesis, structural modifications, bioactivity, and mechanism of action of the quinone‐methide triterpenoid celastrol

Celastrol, a quinone‐methide triterpenoid, was extracted from Tripterygium wilfordii Hook. F. in 1936 for the first time. Almost 70 years later, it is considered one of the molecules most likely to be developed into modern drugs, as it exhibits notable bioactivity, including anticancer and anti‐inflammatory activity, and exerts antiobesity effects. In addition, the molecular mechanisms underlying its bioactivity are being widely studied, which offers new avenues for its development as a pharmaceutical reagent. Owing to its potential therapeutic effects and unique chemical structure, celastrol has attracted considerable interest in the fields of organic, biosynthesis, and medicinal chemistry. As several steps in the biosynthesis of celastrol have been revealed, the mechanisms of key enzymes catalyzing the formation and postmodifications of the celastrol scaffold have been gradually elucidated, which lays a good foundation for the future heterogeneous biosynthesis of celastrol. Chemical synthesis is also an effective approach to obtain celastrol. The total synthesis of celastrol was realized for the first time in 2015, which established a new strategy to obtain celastroid natural products. However, owing to the toxic effects and suboptimal pharmacological properties of celastrol, its clinical applications remain limited. To search for drug‐like derivatives, several structurally modified compounds were synthesized and tested. This review focuses primarily on the latest research progress in the biosynthesis, total synthesis, structural modifications, bioactivity, and mechanism of action of celastrol. We anticipate that this paper will facilitate a more comprehensive understanding of this promising compound and provide constructive references for future research in this field.