Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Redescription of the deep-sea octopod Benthoctopus normani (Massy 1907) and a description of a new species from the Northeast Atlantic

Abstract A long-synonymized species Benthoctopus normani (Massy 1907) (Cephalopoda: Octopodidae) is redescribed from material collected over 30 years by the National Oceanography Centre, Southampton and the National Museums of Scotland. It can be distinguished from other octopodid specimens found in deep waters of the Northeast Atlantic by its biserial suckers, lack of ink sac, and simple ligula, which lacks transverse ridges. Examination of the collections led to the identification of a new species of Benthoctopus from the Northeast Atlantic, which is described herein.
Effect of Astralagus radix on proliferation and nitric oxide production of head kidney macrophages in Cyprinus carpio: an in vitro study

The in vitro effect of Astragalus radix water extract onthe non-specific immune responses of macrophages isolated from the head kidney of Cyprinus carpio was evaluated. Astragalus radix extract stimulated the proliferation of the head kidney macrophages, and it alone had no effect on nitrogen burst activity of macrophages. But it enhanced the nitric oxide production of the mixture of macrophages and granulocytes induced by LPS. It is suggested that Astragalus radix could modulate the non-specific immune response of Cyprinus carpio
Allele combinations of maturity genes E1-E4 affect adaptation of soybean to diverse geographic regions and farming systems in China

Appropriate flowering and maturity time are important for soybean production. Four maturity genes E1, E2, E3 and E4 have been molecularly identified and found to play major roles in the control of flowering and maturity of soybean. Here, to further investigate the effect of different allele combinations of E1-E4, we performed Kompetitive Allele Specific PCR (KASP) assays based on single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) at these four E loci, and genotyped E1-E4 genes across 308 Chinese cultivars with a wide range of maturity groups. In total, twenty-one allele combinations for E1-E4 genes were identified across these Chinese cultivars. Various combinations of mutations at four E loci gave rise to the diversity of flowering and maturity time, which were associated with the adaptation of soybean cultivars to diverse geographic regions and farming systems. In particular, the cultivars with mutations at all four E loci reached flowering and maturity very early, and adapted to high-latitude cold regions. The allele combinations e1-as/e2-ns/e3-tr/E4, E1/e2-ns/E3/E4 and E1/E2/E3/E4 played important roles in the Northeast China, Huang-Huai-Hai (HHH) Rivers Valley and South China regions, respectively. Notably, E1 and E2, especially E2, affected flowering and maturity time of soybean significantly. Our study will be beneficial for germplasm evaluation, cultivar improvement and regionalization of cultivation in soybean production.
Active photonic wireless power transfer into live tissues

Significance One of the highest demands in biomedical electronic implants is to provide a sustainable electrical power for extended healthy life without battery replacement surgeries. The reported technology enables providing sustainable power wirelessly through live tissues as demonstrated by a key biomedical function, i.e., electrical stimulation, of implantable medical electronics at the level of a full system. The approach capable of providing enough power (74.1 μW/cm2, active photovoltaic area: 11.1 mm2) indoor or outdoor during day and night should lead to developments of numerous medical electronic implants with advanced and diverse functions that are currently limited by a limited electrical power in live bodies. Recent advances in soft materials and mechanics activate development of many new types of electrical medical implants. Electronic implants that provide exceptional functions, however, usually require more electrical power, resulting in shorter period of usages although many approaches have been suggested to harvest electrical power in human bodies by resolving the issues related to power density, biocompatibility, tissue damage, and others. Here, we report an active photonic power transfer approach at the level of a full system to secure sustainable electrical power in human bodies. The active photonic power transfer system consists of a pair of the skin-attachable photon source patch and the photovoltaic device array integrated in a flexible medical implant. The skin-attachable patch actively emits photons that can penetrate through live tissues to be captured by the photovoltaic devices in a medical implant. The wireless power transfer system is very simple, e.g., active power transfer in direct current (DC) to DC without extra circuits, and can be used for implantable medical electronics regardless of weather, covering by clothes, in indoor or outdoor at day and night. We demonstrate feasibility of the approach by presenting thermal and mechanical compatibility with soft live tissues while generating enough electrical power in live bodies through in vivo animal experiments. We expect that the results enable long-term use of currently available implants in addition to accelerating emerging types of electrical implants that require higher power to provide diverse convenient diagnostic and therapeutic functions in human bodies.
Mapping of the Porcine CCS and CCR7 Genes

METODIEV, S. , B. MOTE and M. F. ROTHSCHILD, 2006. Mapping of the porcine CCS and CCR7 genes. Bulg. J. Agric. Sci., 12: 153-157 CCS (cooper chaperon for superoxide dismutase1 - SOD1) and CCR7 (chemokine (C-C motif) receptor 7 were studied as potential candidate genes associated with sow stress and were subsequently linkage mapped in the swine genome. Primers were designed for each gene from the pig CCS and CCR7 sequences found at the National Center for Biological Information. The CCS primer pair amplifies a 160bp amplicon, while the CCR7 primer pair amplifies a 385bp amplicon. Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphisms (PCR-RFLP) tests with Nci I (New England Biolabs) for CCS and with HpyCh4 III (New England Biolabs) for CCR7 were developed for genotyping polymorphisms. Pig CCS was mapped with strong linkage to SSC 2 markers SW2623, SWC9, SW2443, and SW2445 (LOD>10). Pig CCR7 was mapped with strong linkage to SSC 12 markers SW874, S0090, S0147, and S0229 (LOD>9). The present study of mapping the pig CCS and CCR7 genes increases information for SSC 2 and SSC 12 and it is a base to study CCS and CCR7 genes as candidate genes for sow stress and longevity.
Social STEAM Learning at an Early Age with Robotic Platforms: A Case Study in Four Schools in Spain

Robotics is one of the key learnings in a world where learners will interact with multiple robotic technologies and operating systems throughout their lives. However, school teachers, especially in the elementary and primary education stages, often have difficulties incorporating these tools in the classroom. Four elementary teachers in three schools in Catalonia were trained to introduce robotics in the classroom to seventy-five students. The main actions consisted in classroom accompaniment by a university-trained support teacher, curricular materials’ development, and assessment of the students’ and teachers’ learning. The designed contents and evaluation criteria took into account the potential of educational robotics to improve soft skills and to promote Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) interdisciplinary learning. Teachers perceived the training to be supportive and useful and ended the school year feeling confident with the used robotic platform (KIBO). The assessment of the students’ learning showed an average mark of 7.1–7.7 over 10 in the final evaluation criteria. Moreover, students’ learning was higher in the classes where the teachers had higher initial interest in the training. We present and analyse the actions carried out, with a critical and constructive look at extending the experience to other educational centers.
An Overview of In Vivo and In Vitro Models for Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease: A Journey from 3D-Cysts to Mini-Pigs

Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is the most common inheritable cause of end stage renal disease and, as of today, only a single moderately effective treatment is available for patients. Even though ADPKD research has made huge progress over the last decades, the precise disease mechanisms remain elusive. However, a wide variety of cellular and animal models have been developed to decipher the pathophysiological mechanisms and related pathways underlying the disease. As none of these models perfectly recapitulates the complexity of the human disease, the aim of this review is to give an overview of the main tools currently available to ADPKD researchers, as well as their main advantages and limitations.
SUPPRESSING GREEN MOLD DECAY IN GRAPEFRUIT WITH POSTHARVEST JASMONATE APPLICATION

Jasmonic acid (JA) and methyl jasmonate (MJ), collectively referred to as jasmonates, are naturally occurring plant growth regulators involved in various aspects of plant development and responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. In this study, we found that postharvest application of jasmonates reduced decay caused by the green mold Penicillium digitatum (Pers.: Fr.) Sacc. after either natural or artificial inoculation of grapefruit ( Citrus paradisi 'Marsh Seedless'). These treatments also effectively reduced chilling injury incidence after cold storage. The most effective concentration of jasmonates for reducing decay in cold-stored fruit or after artificial inoculation of wounded fruit at 24 °C was 10 μmol·L -1 . Higher and lower jasmonate concentrations were less effective at both temperatures. MJ at 10 μmol·L -1 also most effectively reduced the percentage of fruit displaying chilling injury symptoms after 6 weeks of storage at 2 °C and 4 additional d at 20 °C. When tested in vitro, neither JA nor MJ had any direct antifungal effect on P. digitatum spore germination or germ tube elongation. Therefore, it is suggested that jasmonates probably reduced green mold decay in grapefruit indirectly by enhancing the natural resistance of the fruit to P. digitatum at high and low temperatures.
On the Effect of Lactic Acid on Blood Glucose and Insulin Responses to Cereal Products: Mechanistic Studies in Healthy Subjects and In Vitro

It has been observed that bread containing lactic acid produced during the sourdough fermentation or added directly, has the ability to lower the postprandial glucose and insulin responses in humans. The main objective of the present work was to evaluate the possible mechanisms for a lowered glucose response to bread containing lactic acid, and to determine whether the same phenomenon also occurs when lactic acid is added to other cereal products. The rate of starch hydrolysis in bread and bread-like products was studied using an in vitro enzymatic approach. In addition, blood glucose and insulin responses to different lactic acid fermented barley gruels were evaluated in healthy subjects. It was concluded that the inclusion of lactic acid in bread reduces the rate of starch digestion by creating interactions between the gluten and starch. The presence of lactic acid during starch gelatinisation appeared to be a prerequisite for a reduced starch bioavailability. No effect of lactic acid was seen in gruels where the acid was formed after heat-treatment.
Presence of Unusual Virus Particles in Two Hamster Tumour Tissue Culture Cell Lines Induced by Murine Sarcoma Virus

A murine sarcoma virus (MSV-h) which causes sarcomas and other lesions in mice, rats, Praomys and hamsters was described by Harvey (1964, 1968), Chesterman et al. (1966) and East & Harvey (1968). Mouse or rat tumours induced by MSV-h and grown in tissue culture readily released virus infective for both species; in contrast virus produced by hamster tumour cultures was active only in hamsters (Bassin et al. 1968; Harvey, 1968). One such hamster tumour culture, B34 established by Dr R. Bassin, is currently being maintained in our laboratory. ‘Hamster specific’ MSV-h, when examined by electron microscopy, cannot be distinguished from fully infective MSV-h or any of the well known type C murine leukaemia viruses (Chesterman et al. 1966; Bassin et al. 1968).
Above- and below-ground effects of aspen clonal regeneration and succession to conifers

Above- and below-ground characteristics were measured and compared for six sets of paired trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) clones on the Fishlake National Forest in central Utah. Three self-regenerating clones were compared with three non-regenerating clones and three pure aspen stands were compared with three mixed aspen-conifer stands. Regenerating clones had dense understories of younger aspen stems, which were not present in non-regenerating clones. Regenerating clones also had greater numbers of roots and greater total root surface area than non-regenerating clones. Aboveground biomass and growth of the aspen in mixed stands was less than that of pure stands. A corresponding difference in aspen root mass was not apparent, indicating that the decline of aspen in mixed stands had not yet affected the root system. Conifer height and basal area growth rates were clearly greater than those of aspen, suggesting that aspen will eventually disappear from these forests in the absence of stand-rein.
Infant Formula Supplemented with Biotics: Current Knowledge and Future Perspectives

Breastfeeding is natural and the optimal basis of infant nutrition and development, with many benefits for maternal health. Human milk is a dynamic fluid fulfilling an infant’s specific nutritional requirements and guiding the growth, developmental, and physiological processes of the infant. Human milk is considered unique in composition, and it is influenced by several factors, such as maternal diet and health, body composition, and geographic region. Human milk stands as a model for infant formula providing nutritional solutions for infants not able to receive enough mother’s milk. Infant formulas aim to mimic the composition and functionality of human milk by providing ingredients reflecting those of the latest human milk insights, such as oligosaccharides, bacteria, and bacterial metabolites. The objective of this narrative review is to discuss the most recent developments in infant formula with a special focus on human milk oligosaccharides and postbiotics.
Effects of Aspect Ratio Heterogeneity of an Assembly of Gold Nanorods on Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance.

We examine the effects of aspect ratio (AR) heterogeneity of an assembly of gold nanorods (GNRs) in a colloid on the total cross-section for its light scattering via localized surface plasmons at visible wavelengths. We observe the extraordinary broadening of the extinction spectrum of light through an assembly of GNRs, a colloidal mixture of those having two different ARs. The inter-particle distance estimated as ~ 1.2-1.3 μm, being greater than the incident wavelength, allows the radiative dipolar coupling to govern the long-range interaction between GNRs. We find that the coupling enhanced local fields can activate the non-resonant polarization of GNRs to turn into a quasi-resonant one. These higher-order effects for GNR polarization can produce the deviation of total cross-section of GNRs assembly beyond the simple sum of an individual cross-section of GNRs that are assumed to have no such long-range coupling. The extraordinary properties of the extinction spectrum need to be taken into account for modulating the spectral distribution of electromagnetic field in photonic devices where an assembly of GNRs is utilized for field enhancement such as those for surface-enhanced spectroscopy, highly efficient photovoltaics, photothermal nano-therapy, and ultrathin absorption filters.
Seasonal Variations of the Photosynthetic Efficiency of Evergreen Conifers

Studies of total dry matter production, such as those of Ovington (1956, 1957), have indicated that, in the temperate zone, evergreen conifers are in general more efficient than deciduous hardwoods. This superiority is attributed to the evergreen characteristic, which should make CO2 assimilation possible throughout the year, whenever environmental conditions are favorable. Indeed, net photosynthesis has been found to occur during winter in coniferous species, even at low temperatures (Freeland 1944, Parker 1953). It is, however, questionable, whether the "winter" rates are comparable in magnitude to the "summer" rates, even when measured at the same temperature and light intensity. It was postulated in this study that photosynthetic efficiency, or capacity, varies throughout the year as do the degree of cold hardiness, the nature and concentration of food reserves, and many other physiological characteristics. In one experiment, the photosynthetic efficiency of Norway spruce (Picea excelsa Link) and blue spruce (Picea pungens Engelm.) trees, growing outdoors, was followed for a period of one year. In another, similar measurements were made, from November to May, on eastern hemlock (Tsitga canadensis (L.) Carr) and Scotch pine (Pinns sylvestris L.) plants kept outdoors and indoors, under short and long days. Finally, the changes in photosynthetic efficiency induced by a sudden alteration of the temperature regime were followed in Scotch pine plants. Acknowledgments are due to Miriam L. Laverick for laboratory assistance and to F. Mergen for reviewing the manuscript.
Outcome of Root Canal Treatments Provided by Endodontic Postgraduate Students. A Retrospective Study

The aim of this study was to assess the preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative factors that influenced complete periapical healing in teeth that underwent primary root canal treatment (RCT), in patients treated by postgraduate students in endodontics. Factors were retrieved and compared with the periapical status during the follow-up visit. Healing was considered as the absence of clinical and radiological symptoms. Variables significantly associated by the chi-squared test were included in a logistic regression model (LRM). Preoperative factors associated with healing were: American Society of Anesthesiology (ASA) status (p = 0.01); the absence of preoperative pain (p = 0.04); positive response to pulp tests; when the RCT cause was caries, pain, abscess, or sinus tract; probing depth <4 mm; the absence of mobility; absence or <4 mm periapical lesion (p < 0.01). In the LRM, the factors included were: absence or <4 mm periapical lesion; probing depths <4 mm; RCT caused by caries, pain, abscess, or sinus tract; the tooth was not a bridge abutment. Postoperative factors were: teeth with direct restoration; teeth that did not act as a support for a fixed prosthetic restoration; the favorable condition of the coronal restoration (p < 0.01). In the LRM, only the status of the coronal restoration was included. Preoperative conditions and the adequate fit of the coronal restoration influenced the outcome of RCT.
Surface application of ammonium thiosulfate fertilizer to reduce volatilization of 1,3‐dichloropropene from soil

Atmospheric emission of the soil fumigant 1,3-dichloropropene (1,3-D) is of environmental concern because of its toxicity and carcinogenicity. Thiosulfate fertilizers have been found to rapidly transform 1,3-D in soil to non-volatile ions which are less toxic. We investigated the use of surface application of ammonium thiosulfate (ATS) for reducing 1,3-D volatilization. In packed soil columns, emission of 1,3-D applied by sub-surface injection decreased with increasing ATS application rate and the amount of water used for delivering ATS. When ATS was applied in 9 mm water at 64g m ˇ2 , total 1,3-D emission was reduced by 61%. The reduction was 89% when ATS was applied at 193 g m ˇ2 . Bioassays showed that ATS application did not affect the effectiveness of 1,3-D for controlling citrus nematodes. In field plots where a 1,3-D emulsified formulation was applied via sub-surface drip, surface spray of ATS reduced 1,3-D emissions by 50%, and by 71% when the surface was also covered with polyethylene film. ATS application had no effect on the efficacy of root-knot nematode control or tomato yields. These results suggest that surface application of thiosulfate fertilizers may be a feasible and effective strategy for minimizing 1,3-D emissions. # 2000 Society of Chemical Industry
Global climate change amplifies the entry of tropical species into the eastern Mediterranean Sea

Using long‐term data of 149 warm alien species since 1924, we show that the introduction of warm and tropical alien species has been exacerbated by the observed warming of the eastern Mediterranean Sea. The phenomenon has accelerated after an abrupt shift in both regional and global temperatures that we detect around 1998, leading to a 150% increase in the annual mean rate of species entry after this date. Abrupt rising temperature since the end of the 1990s has modified the potential thermal habitat available for warm‐water species, facilitating their settlement at an unexpectedly rapid rate. The speed of alien species spreading and response to global warming is apparently much faster than temperature increase itself, presenting an important warning for the future of Mediterranean Sea biodiversity. In addition to the sea warming, other factors that enable and enhance biological invasions, such as salinity increase and oceanographic forcing, are also discussed.
Hotspots in Plasmodium and RBC Receptor-Ligand Interactions: Key Pieces for Inhibiting Malarial Parasite Invasion

Protein-protein interactions (IPP) play an essential role in practically all biological processes, including those related to microorganism invasion of their host cells. It has been found that a broad repertoire of receptor-ligand interactions takes place in the binding interphase with host cells in malaria, these being vital interactions for successful parasite invasion. Several trials have been conducted for elucidating the molecular interface of interactions between some Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax antigens with receptors on erythrocytes and/or reticulocytes. Structural information concerning these complexes is available; however, deeper analysis is required for correlating structural, functional (binding, invasion, and inhibition), and polymorphism data for elucidating new interaction hotspots to which malaria control methods can be directed. This review describes and discusses recent structural and functional details regarding three relevant interactions during erythrocyte invasion: Duffy-binding protein 1 (DBP1)–Duffy antigen receptor for chemokines (DARC); reticulocyte-binding protein homolog 5 (PfRh5)-basigin, and erythrocyte binding antigen 175 (EBA175)-glycophorin A (GPA).