Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Peptidoglycan Switches Off the TLR2-Mediated Sperm Recognition and Triggers Sperm Localization in the Bovine Endometrium

In mammals, the uterine mucosal immune system simultaneously recognizes and reacts to most bacteria as well as allogenic sperm mainly through the Toll-like receptors (TLR)2/4 signaling pathway. Here, we characterized the impact of pathogen-derived TLR2/4 ligands (peptidoglycan (PGN)/lipopolysaccharide (LPS)) on the immune crosstalk of sperm with the bovine endometrial epithelium. The real-time PCR analysis showed that the presence of low levels of PGN, but not LPS, blocked the sperm-induced inflammatory responses in bovine endometrial epithelial cells (BEECs) in vitro. Immunoblotting analysis revealed that PGN prevented the sperm-induced phosphorylation of JNK in BEECs. Activation or blockade of the TLR2 system in the endometrial epithelium verified that TLR2 signaling acts as a commonly-shared pathway for PGN and sperm recognition. The impairment of endometrial sperm recognition, induced by PGN, subsequently inhibited sperm phagocytosis by polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs). Moreover, using an ex vivo endometrial explant that more closely resembles those in vivo conditions, showed that sperm provoked a mild and reversible endometrial tissue injury and triggered PMN recruitment into uterine glands, while PGN inhibited these events. Of note, PGN markedly increased the sperm attachment to uterine glands, and relatively so in the surface epithelium. However, addition of the anti-CD44 antibody into a PGN-sperm-explant co-culture completely blocked sperm attachment into glands and surface epithelia, indicating that the CD44 adhesion molecule is involved in the PGN-triggered sperm attachment to the endometrial epithelium. Together, these findings demonstrate that, the presence of PGN residues disrupts sperm immune recognition and prevents the physiological inflammation induced by sperm in the endometrial epithelium via the MyD88-dependent pathway of TLR2 signaling, possibly leading to impairment of uterine clearance and subsequent embryo receptivity.
Genetic Architecture and Genomic Prediction of Cooking Time in Common Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)

Cooking time of the common bean is an important trait for consumer preference, with implications for nutrition, health, and environment. For efficient germplasm improvement, breeders need more information on the genetics to identify fast cooking sources with good agronomic properties and molecular breeding tools. In this study, we investigated a broad genetic variation among tropical germplasm from both Andean and Mesoamerican genepools. Four populations were evaluated for cooking time (CKT), water absorption capacity (WAC), and seed weight (SdW): a bi-parental RIL population (DxG), an eight-parental Mesoamerican MAGIC population, an Andean (VEF), and a Mesoamerican (MIP) breeding line panel. A total of 922 lines were evaluated in this study. Significant genetic variation was found in all populations with high heritabilities, ranging from 0.64 to 0.89 for CKT. CKT was related to the color of the seed coat, with the white colored seeds being the ones that cooked the fastest. Marker trait associations were investigated by QTL analysis and GWAS, resulting in the identification of 10 QTL. In populations with Andean germplasm, an inverse correlation of CKT and WAC, and also a QTL on Pv03 that inversely controls CKT and WAC (CKT3.2/WAC3.1) were observed. WAC7.1 was found in both Mesoamerican populations. QTL only explained a small part of the variance, and phenotypic distributions support a more quantitative mode of inheritance. For this reason, we evaluated how genomic prediction (GP) models can capture the genetic variation. GP accuracies for CKT varied, ranging from good results for the MAGIC population (0.55) to lower accuracies in the MIP panel (0.22). The phenotypic characterization of parental material will allow for the cooking time trait to be implemented in the active germplasm improvement programs. Molecular breeding tools can be developed to employ marker-assisted selection or genomic selection, which looks to be a promising tool in some populations to increase the efficiency of breeding activities.
Abnormal Default-Mode Network Homogeneity in Patients With Mild Cognitive Impairment in Chinese Communities

Background and Objective: Current evidence suggests that abnormalities within the default-mode network (DMN) play a key role in the broad-scale cognitive problems that characterize mild cognitive impairment (MCI). However, little is known about the alterations of DMN network homogeneity (NH) in MCI. Methods: Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging scans (rs-fMRI) were collected from 38 MCI patients and 69 healthy controls matched for age, gender, and education. NH approach was employed to analyze the imaging dataset. Cognitive performance was measured with the Chinese version of Alzheimer's disease assessment scale-Cognitive subscale (ADAS-Cog). Results: Two groups have no significant differences between demographic factors. And mean ADAS-Cog score in MCI was 12.02. MCI patients had significantly lower NH values than controls in the right anterior cingulate cortex and significantly higher NH values in the ventral medial prefrontal cortex(vmPFC) than those in healthy controls. No significant correlations were found between abnormal NH values and ADAS-Cog in the patients. Conclusions: These findings provide further evidence that abnormal NH of the DMN exists in MCI, and highlight the significance of DMN in the pathophysiology of cognitive problems occurring in MCI.
Mutational Spectrum of LDLR and PCSK9 Genes Identified in Iranian Patients With Premature Coronary Artery Disease and Familial Hypercholesterolemia

Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a common, yet underdiagnosed, genetic disorder characterized by lifelong elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, which can increase the risk of early-onset coronary artery disease (CAD). In the present study, we screened the nucleotide variations of the LDLR and PCSK9 genes, as well as a part of the APOB gene, in Iranian patients with FH and premature CAD to find the genetic cause of the disorder. Fifteen unrelated individuals with a clinical diagnosis of FH and premature CAD were recruited. Direct DNA sequencing was applied to screen the whole coding exons and exon–intron boundaries of the LDLR and PCSK9 genes and the main parts of their introns, together with exon 26 of the APOB gene. The pathogenicity of the identified mutations was investigated via either segregation analyses in the family or in silico predictive software. Six different point mutations (p.Cys148Tyr, p.Cys216Tyr, p.Cys302Trp, p.Cys338Trp, p.Leu479Gln, and p.G593Afs∗72) in LDLR and a double mutation (p.Asp172His and p.Ala53Val) in both LDLR and PCSK9 genes were identified in seven families with clinically diagnosed FH (43%), whereas no pathogenic mutations were found in eight families with clinically diagnosed FH. This study is the first to identify 1 pathogenic mutation in the LDLR gene (c.1014C > G [p.Cys338Trp]) and to cosegregate it from the affected individual in the family. No mutations were found in the APOB gene, whereas several silent mutations/polymorphisms were identified in the LDLR and PCSK9 genes. Genetic testing and reports on nucleotide alterations in the Iranian population are still limited. Our findings not only further confirm the significant role of FH in the incidence of premature CAD but also enlarge the spectrum of LDLR and PCSK9 variations and exhibit the heterogeneity of FH in Iranians. In patients with no mutation in the examined genes, the disease could be begotten either by a polygenic cause or by gene defects occurring in other related genes and regions not targeted in this study.
Simulation-Based Education in the Training of Newborn Care Providers—A Malaysian Perspective

Simulation-based education (SBE) is increasingly used as an education tool to improve learning for healthcare providers. In newborn care practice, SBE is used in the Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) and training in procedural skills. The NRP is a mandatory course in Malaysia for all house officers (interns) and medical officers (residents) during their pediatric rotation. Almost 30,000 of NRP providers have been trained over the last 5 years. The recent establishment of the Allied Healthcare Center of Excellence (AHCoE), an organization dedicated to promoting SBE, and Malaysian Society for Simulation in Healthcare (MaSSH) aims to enhance the integration of SBE into the healthcare training curriculum and set up a local healthcare simulation educator training program. Our experience in implementing SBE necessitated that we made several important choices. As there was no strong evidence to favor high-fidelity over low-fidelity simulation, and because simulation centers can be very costly to set up with limited resources, we chose SBE mainly in the form of low-fidelity and in situ simulation. We also identified an important developmental goal to train Malaysian instructors on structured debriefing, a critical activity for learning in SBE. Currently, debriefing is often carried out in our centers at an ad hoc basis because of time limitation and the lack of personnel trained. Finally, we aim to implement SBE further in Malaysia, with two axes: (1) the credentialing and recertification of physicians and nurses, and (2) the education of lay caregivers of high-risk infants before discharge from the neonatal intensive care unit.
Why Do We Need Media Multitasking? A Self-Regulatory Perspective

In the digital world of today, multitasking with media is inevitable. Research shows, for instance, that American youths spend on average 7.5 h every day with media, and 29% of that time is spent processing different forms of media simultaneously (Uncapher et al., 2017). Despite numerous studies, however, there is no consensus on whether media multitasking is effective or not. In the current paper, we review existing literature and propose that in order to ascertain whether media multitasking is effective, it is important to determine (1) which goal/s are used as a reference point (e.g., acquiring new knowledge, obtaining the highest number of points in a task, being active on social media); (2) whether a person's intentions and subjective feelings or objective performance are considered (e.g., simultaneous media use might feel productive, yet objective performance might deteriorate); and finally (3) whether the short- or long-term consequences of media multitasking are considered (e.g., media multitasking might help attain one's present goals yet be conducive to a cognitive strategy that leads to lesser attentional shielding of goals). Depending on these differentiations, media multitasking can be seen as both a strategic behavior undertaken to accomplish one's goals and as a self-regulatory failure. The article integrates various findings from the areas of cognitive psychology, psychology of motivation, and human-computer interaction.
Cannabinoids in Audiogenic Seizures: From Neuronal Networks to Future Perspectives for Epilepsy Treatment

Cannabinoids and Cannabis-derived compounds have been receiving especial attention in the epilepsy research scenario. Pharmacological modulation of endocannabinoid system's components, like cannabinoid type 1 receptors (CB1R) and their bindings, are associated with seizures in preclinical models. CB1R expression and functionality were altered in humans and preclinical models of seizures. Additionally, Cannabis-derived compounds, like cannabidiol (CBD), present anticonvulsant activity in humans and in a great variety of animal models. Audiogenic seizures (AS) are induced in genetically susceptible animals by high-intensity sound stimulation. Audiogenic strains, like the Genetically Epilepsy Prone Rats, Wistar Audiogenic Rats, and Krushinsky-Molodkina, are useful tools to study epilepsy. In audiogenic susceptible animals, acute acoustic stimulation induces brainstem-dependent wild running and tonic-clonic seizures. However, during the chronic protocol of AS, the audiogenic kindling (AuK), limbic and cortical structures are recruited, and the initially brainstem-dependent seizures give rise to limbic seizures. The present study reviewed the effects of pharmacological modulation of the endocannabinoid system in audiogenic seizure susceptibility and expression. The effects of Cannabis-derived compounds in audiogenic seizures were also reviewed, with especial attention to CBD. CB1R activation, as well Cannabis-derived compounds, induced anticonvulsant effects against audiogenic seizures, but the effects of cannabinoids modulation and Cannabis-derived compounds still need to be verified in chronic audiogenic seizures. The effects of cannabinoids and Cannabis-derived compounds should be further investigated not only in audiogenic seizures, but also in epilepsy related comorbidities present in audiogenic strains, like anxiety, and depression.
Rational Design and Biological Application of Antioxidant Nanozymes

Nanozyme is a type of nanostructured material with intrinsic enzyme mimicking activity, which has been increasingly studied in the biological field. Compared with natural enzymes, nanozymes have many advantages, such as higher stability, higher design flexibility, and more economical production costs. Nanozymes can be used to mimic natural antioxidant enzymes to treat diseases caused by oxidative stress through reasonable design and modification. Oxidative stress is caused by imbalances in the production and elimination of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS). This continuous oxidative stress can cause damage to some biomolecules and significant destruction to cell structure and function, leading to many physiological diseases. In this paper, the methods to improve the antioxidant properties of nanozymes were reviewed, and the applications of nanozyme antioxidant in the fields of anti-aging, cell protection, anti-inflammation, wound repair, cancer, traumatic brain injury, and nervous system diseases were introduced. Finally, the future challenges and prospects of nanozyme as an ideal antioxidant were discussed.
Estimation of Botanical Composition in Mixed Clover–Grass Fields Using Machine Learning-Based Image Analysis

This study aims to provide an effective image analysis method for clover detection and botanical composition (BC) estimation in clover–grass mixture fields. Three transfer learning methods, namely, fine-tuned DeepLab V3+, SegNet, and fully convolutional network-8s (FCN-8s), were utilized to detect clover fractions (on an area basis). The detected clover fraction (CFdetected), together with auxiliary variables, viz., measured clover height (Hclover) and grass height (Hgrass), were used to build multiple linear regression (MLR) and back propagation neural network (BPNN) models for BC estimation. A total of 347 clover–grass images were used to build the estimation model on clover fraction and BC. Of the 347 samples, 226 images were augmented to 904 images for training, 25 were selected for validation, and the remaining 96 samples were used as an independent dataset for testing. Testing results showed that the intersection-over-union (IoU) values based on the DeepLab V3+, SegNet, and FCN-8s were 0.73, 0.57, and 0.60, respectively. The root mean square error (RMSE) values for the three transfer learning methods were 8.5, 10.6, and 10.0%. Subsequently, models based on BPNN and MLR were built to estimate BC, by using either CFdetected only or CFdetected, grass height, and clover height all together. Results showed that BPNN was generally superior to MLR in terms of estimating BC. The BPNN model only using CFdetected had a RMSE of 8.7%. In contrast, the BPNN model using all three variables (CFdetected, Hclover, and Hgrass) as inputs had an RMSE of 6.6%, implying that DeepLab V3+ together with BPNN can provide good estimation of BC and can offer a promising method for improving forage management.
Parasites of Native and Invasive Rodents in Chile: Ecological and Human Health Needs

Invasive populations are a threat to biodiversity, resulting in the loss of species, and also a threat to human health, participating in the reservoir of diseases. Rodents are among the most important invasive species worldwide. Chile is a country that features island conditions in terms of geography and has been widely invaded by allochthonous rodents. In this mini-review, we updated the literature on macro-parasites infecting both native and invasive rodents and of vector-borne pathogens in continental Chile in order to assess the relative importance of invasive rodents from both ecological and public health points of view. A total of 174 parasite species were found, with Siphonaptera representing the most diverse group. When examining how parasites are shared between native and introduced rodents, the analysis suggests that parasites circulate freely within recipient populations, and are not significantly transmitted from source populations. Further, generalist parasites are typically more prone to being shared between native and introduced rodents. Most zoonotic parasites were reported in invasive rodents, suggesting that these rodents must represent a public health concern. Although several vector-borne pathogens have been reported in rodents or ectoparasites, most of the recently emerging research has illustrated that there is a lack of evidence on rodent–vector-borne zoonoses in most pathogens.
Role of Oxidative Stress and Ca2+ Signaling in Psychiatric Disorders

Psychiatric disorders are caused by complex and diverse factors, and numerous mechanisms have been proposed for the pathogenesis of these disorders. Accumulating evidence suggests that oxidative stress is one of the general factors involved in the pathogenesis/pathophysiology of major psychiatric disorders, including bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety disorder, and schizophrenia. Indeed, some clinical trials have shown improvement of the symptoms of these disorders by antioxidant supplementation. However, the molecular basis for the relationship between oxidative stress and the pathogenesis of psychiatric disorders remains largely unknown. In general, Ca2+ channels play central roles in neuronal functions, including neuronal excitability, neurotransmitter release, synaptic plasticity, and gene regulation, and genes that encode Ca2+ channels have been found to be associated with psychiatric disorders. Notably, a class of Ca2+-permeable transient receptor potential (TRP) cation channels is activated by changes in cellular redox status, whereby these TRP channels can link oxidative stress to Ca2+ signals. Given the unique characteristic of redox-sensitive TRP channels, these channels could be a target for delineating the pathogenesis or pathophysiology of psychiatric disorders. In this review, we summarize the outcomes of clinical trials for antioxidant treatment in patients with psychiatric disorders and the current insights into the physiological/pathological significance of redox-sensitive TRP channels in the light of neural functions, including behavioral phenotypes, and discuss the potential role of TRP channels in the pathogenesis of psychiatric disorders. Investigation of redox-sensitive TRP channels may lead to the development of novel therapeutic strategies for the treatment of psychiatric disorders.
Evaluation of a Novel Mucosal Administered Subunit Vaccine on Colostrum IgA and Serum IgG in Sows and Control of Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli in Neonatal and Weanling Piglets: Proof of Concept

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the ability of a novel experimental subunit vaccine (ESV), induce colostrum IgA and serum IgG in sows, and to control enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) disease in neonatal and weanling piglets. The vaccine was tested in three experiments. Experiment 1 consisted of two independent trials. In each trial, 20 pregnant sows/groups were vaccinated intramuscularly (IM) with a commercial E. coli vaccine or intranasally with ESV at weeks 11 and 13 of pregnancy. Blood and serum samples were obtained within 12 h post-partum. In Experiment 1, intranasal vaccination with ESV significantly increased the sample-to-positive (S/P) ratio of secretory IgA in the colostrum of sows (P < 0.01, trial 1; P < 0.05, trial 2) compared to the IM vaccine. In Experiment 2, twenty-five 3-day old piglets were randomly allocated into two groups, control (n = 13) or ESV (n = 12) and were oral gavaged with the respective treatments on days 3 and 14 of life. On days 17–19, all piglets were challenged using a mixed ETEC culture via oral gavage. Within 72 h, all control group animals developed disease consistent with colibacillosis. Conversely, the ESV treated group remained disease free over the 7-day observation period and had significant increases in body weight gain compared to the control group piglets. In Experiment 3, thirty 28-day old piglets were randomly allocated, control (n = 15) or ESV (n = 15), and on days 33 and 43 of life, piglets were either given by oral gavage 2.0 mL saline (control group) or 2.0 mL ESV. At days 46 and 47 of life, all pigs were challenged with a mixed culture of ETEC and observed for clinical signs of disease. Results of Experiment 3 were similar to those observed in Experiment 2. This study indicates the ESV can induce better levels of colostrum secretory IgA in pregnant sows than IM vaccination, which may be protective to neonatal piglets. Further, the vaccine can protect piglets as early as 3 days of age from an ETEC infection. Importantly, the data suggest a single vaccine could be used across the farrowing, suckling, and weaning program to protect against pathogenic E. coli.
Keep Calm and Carry On: The Relations Between Narrative Coherence, Trauma, Social Support, Psychological Well-Being, and Cortisol Responses

In order to explain trauma resilience, previous research has been investigating possible risk and protective factors, both on an individual and a contextual level. In this experimental study, we examined narrative coherence and social support in relation to trauma resilience. Participants were asked to write about a turning point memory, after which they did the Maastricht Acute Stress Test, our lab analog of a traumatic event. Following, half of the participants received social support, whereas the other half did not. Afterwards, all participants wrote a narrative on the traumatic event. Moment-to-moment fluctuations in psychological and physiological well-being throughout the experiment were investigated with state anxiety questionnaires and cortisol measures. Results showed that narratives of traumatic experiences were less coherent than narratives of turning point memories. However, contrary to our predictions, coherence, and, in particular, thematic coherence, related positively to anxiety levels. Possibly, particular types of thematic coherence are a non-adaptive form of coping, which reflect unfinished attempts at meaning-making and are more similar to continuous rumination than to arriving at a resolution. Furthermore, coherence at baseline could not buffer against the impact of trauma on anxiety levels in this study. Contrary to our hypotheses, social support did not have the intended beneficial effects on coherence, neither on well-being. Multiple explanations as to why our support manipulation remained ineffective are suggested. Remarkably, lower cortisol levels at baseline and after writing about the turning point memory predicted higher coherence in the trauma narratives. This may suggest that the ability to remain calm in difficult situations does relate to the ability to cope adaptively with future difficult experiences. Clinical and social implications of the present findings are discussed, and future research recommendations on the relations between narrative coherence, social support, and trauma resilience are addressed.