Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Viridans Group Streptococci and the Oral Ecosystem

The human oral cavity is the highly selective environment, which can be colonized by certain microbes. Viridans group streptococci are the most common bacterial isolates along with many other aerobic and anaerobic bacteria. S. salivarius is the most common viridians group streptococcus followed by S. mitis, S. sanguis, S. milleri, S. gordonii and S. mutans. The diverse habitat unique to the oral cavity together with a variety of nutrients is supportive to mixed population. These members of the resident oral flora, including viridians group streptococci, are responsible for colonization resistance, i.e., they prevent colonization / invasion by more pathogenic exogenous bacterial pathogens. Disruption of the oral ecosystem may lead to impairment of colonization resistance leading to higher rates of colonization by more pathogenic exogenous bacterial pathogens. Thus, viridians group streptococci normally present in the oral cavity play a significant role in oral health.
Effect of low temperature stress at seedling stage on reproductive growth of tomato

Ten different genotypes of tomato lines were used as test materials.The 105 ℃ low temperature treatment for them was carried out at their three different leaf ages,and then the seedlings were planted in a plastic tunnel.The results showed that the low temperature treatment made the flowering time of tomato postpone and injured the first inflorescence fruit setting.The effect of the treatment at 7~8 leaves stage was the greatest.The low temperature treatment also made the malformed fruit rate increase and the effect of the treatment at 2~3 and 7~8 leaves stages were greater.Different genotypes of tomato lines had different responses of reproductive growth to the low temperature treatment.
Distinct and overlapping direct effects of macrophage inflammatory protein-1 alpha and transforming growth factor beta on hematopoietic progenitor/stem cell growth

Both transforming growth factor beta (TGF beta) and macrophage inflammatory protein 1 alpha (MIP-1 alpha) have been shown to be multifunctional regulators of hematopoiesis that can either inhibit or enhance the growth of hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPC). We report here the spectrum of activities of these two cytokines on different hematopoietic progenitor and stem cell populations, and whether these effects are direct or indirect. MIP-1 alpha enhances interleukin-3 (IL- 3)/and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM- CSF)/induced colony formation of normal bone marrow progenitor cells (BMC) and lineage-negative (Lin-) progenitors, but has no effect on G- CSF or CSF-1/induced colony formation. Similarly, TGF beta enhances GM- CSF/induced colony formation of normal BMC and Lin- progenitors. In contrast, TGF beta inhibits IL-3/ and CSF-1/induced colony formation of Lin- progenitors. The effects of MIP-1 alpha and TGF beta on the growth of Lin- progenitors were direct and correlate with colony formation in soft agar. Separation of the Lin- cells into Thy-1 and Thy-1lo subsets showed that the growth of Thy-1lo Lin- cells is directly inhibited by MIP-1 alpha and TGF beta regardless of the cytokine used to stimulate growth (IL-3), GM-CSF, or CSF-1). In contrast, two other stem cell populations (0% to 15% Hoechst 33342/Rhodamine 123 [Ho/Rh123] and Lin- Sca-1+ cells) were markedly inhibited by TGF beta and unaffected by MIP- 1 alpha. Furthermore, MIP-1 alpha has no effect on high proliferative potential colony-forming cells 1 or 2 (HPP-CFC/1 or /2) colony formation in vitro, whereas TGF beta inhibits both HPP-CFC/1 and HPP- CFC/2. Thus, MIP-1 alpha and TGF beta are direct bidirectional regulators of HPC growth, whose effects are dependent on other growth factors present as well as the maturational state of the HPC assayed. The spectrum of their inhibitory and enhancing activities shows overlapping yet distinct effects.
Regular ArticleSelection by wild birds on artificial dimorphic prey on varied backgrounds

Our aim was to test the effects of prey frequency and background composition on selection by free-ranging birds. We did three series of experiments with populations of grey and orange pastry prey scattered among coloured stones that made the prey either conspicuous or inconspicuous. Series I tested whether the predicted equilibrium frequency of the two prey types was influenced by the frequency of matching grey and orange stones. Birds at a single site were given a random sequence of combinations of prey frequency and stone frequency. Selection was dependent on background and the effect of prey frequency also varied with background. In series 2, we explored the frequency-independent effect of background: birds at five sites were given equal numbers of the two prey in three frequencies of matching stones and two of non-matching. There was a higher risk of predation for prey that matched rarer stones. In series 3 we attempted to measure, at a single site, the actual equilibrium prey frequencies in three different backgrounds: two extreme stone frequencies and one intermediate. Each experiment started with a population of equal numbers of grey and orange prey. After half the prey had been eaten we calculated the frequencies of the survivors and presented a new population of the original size but with the new prey frequencies; each experiment ran for 25 such 'generations'. The results suggested that at equilibrium the commoner 'morph' was the one that resembled the commoner colour of stone. Overall, our findings support the idea that visual selection can result in morph frequencies becoming related to the proportions of their matching background components and that this equilibrium will 'track' temporal or spatial changes in the background.
Analysis of Sleep Questionnaires of Commercial Vehicle Operators in Korea

Yoonjae Song, Han Gyeol Park, Seulki Song, Dong-Han Lee, Gene Huh, Se Jin Hyun, Goun Choe, Sun A Han, Jeong-Yeon Ji, Jin Kook Kim, and Hyun Jik Kim Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul; and Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
Clinical Profile of Overgrowth Syndromes Consistent with PROS (PIK3CA-Related Overgrowth Syndromes)—A Case Series

Context: PIK3CA-related overgrowth syndrome (PROS) is characterized by focal and disproportionate growth of acral body structures in a mosaic pattern with varied phenotypes. Clinical diagnostic criteria are available and testing of the mutation is recommended for diagnosis. Cutaneous features described in these conditions include epidermal nevi and vascular malformations which form part of the diagnostic criteria. Aims: To detail the clinical profile of patients with presumptive PROS. Settings and Design: We conducted a retrospective study of 15 patients with focal overgrowth of the extremities or macrocephaly who presented to the department of dermatology at a tertiary care hospital in South India. Subjects and Methods: Data were collected through electronic medical records from July 2012 to April 2018 over 70 months. The criterion proposed by Keppler-Noreuil et al. was used for classifying them as presumptive PROS in the absence of genetic studies. Statistical Analysis Used: Descriptive analysis. Results: There were nine males and six females; mean age of 12.10 years (range: 8 months to 73 years) with clinical features consistent with PROS. There was a higher frequency of vascular malformations (9/15, 60%) and of epidermal nevi (7/15, 46.6%) than that reported in the literature. Unusual features included focal acrochordons, blaschkoid hypopigmentation and linear papillomatous growths in the oral mucosa. Conclusions: This study provides data on the clinical features of patients with PROS from the Indian subcontinent. In resource-poor settings, clinical criteria may be adequate for diagnosis due to restricted accessibility of technically challenging diagnostic tests.
Reply

We thank Bhogal et al. for their comments on our review, and we shall address the points that they raised. Most aerobic cells will generate small amounts of reactive oxygen species (ROS) during normal cellular respiration, but these are effectively handled by the various cellular antioxidant systems to which we alluded in our review. Moreover, most aerobic cells will increase their rate of ROS generation during ischemia/reperfusion (IR). Hepatocytes are no exception and do increase their rate of ROS production after IR. Indeed, this is clearly demonstrated in Fig. 2 of our review. The more imperative issue is the relative contribution of IR-generated ROS from Kupffer cells, neutrophils, and hepatocytes to the induction and propagation of liver IR injury. As outlined in our review and by others, Kupffer cells and neutrophils are the main contributors to ROS generation after IR, with Kupffer cells making the greatest contribution to ROS generation in the early phase after reperfusion. Additionally, Bhogal et al. remarked that hepatocytes produce proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines after IR. The available evidence supports this as we have discussed in our review. Mahmoud Abu-Amara, M.B. B.S., B.Sc., M.R. C.S. Shiyu Yang, Ph.D. Niteen Tapuria, M.S., F.R. C.S. Barry J. Fuller, Ph.D. Brian R. Davidson, M.D., F.R. C.S. Alexander M. Seifalian, Ph.D. Liver Transplantation and Hepatobiliary Unit Royal Free Hospital London, United Kingdom Division of Surgery & Interventional Science University College London London, United Kingdom
Corrigendum

Fig. 2 Combinations of migration rate (m), effective population size (Ne), and local recruitment resulting in different expected values of genetic divergence (FST) and demographic interdependence. Local recruitment is determined by births and deaths of resident individuals. Genetic divergence is primarily a function of Nm, while demographic connectivity is primarily a function of m relative to local recruitment.
Insect seed predation and its relationships with seed crop and seed size of Quercus mongolica

In autumn of 2006,insect seed predation and its relationship with seed crop and seed size of Quercus mongolica were investigated at Cenyuan and Dongshan sites in Dongfanghong Forest Farm in Dailing Region of Yichun City,Heilongjiang Province,Northeast China.The dynamics of seed rain and its composition of Q.mongolica were similar between the two sampled sites,though seed crops varied between both sites partly due to tree size based on diameter of breast height.For individual tree sampled,sound acorns had a very low density at both sites:3.2±4.1 nuts/m2(Cenyuan)and 1.7±2.8 nuts/m2(Dongshan),same with the proportion of sound acorns at both sites,only 4.0%(Cenyuan)and 3.2%(Dongshan)of the total seed crops,but the proportions of both insect-infested and aborted acorns were very high,over 38% at both sites.In particular,the proportion of insect-infested acorns was up to 58.2%(Cenyuan)and 57.7%(Dongshan). Weevil Curculio arakawai was the key insect species infesting Q.mongolica acorns with up to 96.8%(Cenyuan)and 97.1%(Dongshan)of insect-infested acorns sampled.We also found that the number of weevil eggs and larvae in each weevil-infested acorn was significantly correlated with acorn size,i.e.larger acorns had more weevil eggs and larvae.These results indicated that seed crops of Q.mongolica were very poor in 2006,with most mature acorns infested by insects(especially by weevils)and fewer sound acorns available for dispersal and subsequent seedling recruitment.Thus,intense insect seed predation may be one primary limiting factor influencing population regeneration of Q.mongolica especially in seed-poor years.
Reply: Ethical perspectives on living donor organ transplantation in Asia

We thank Omar et al. for their interest in our article entitled ‘‘Ethical Perspectives on Living Donor Organ Transplantation in Asia. ’’ We are aware that there is no legal compensated living donation in Sweden. With respect to their article ‘‘Compensated Living Kidney Donation: A Plea for Pragmatism,’’ to which we referred in our article, we agree that they discussed a proposed scheme of compensated kidney donation as a way of addressing the current kidney shortage because true altruism in living organ donation is usually unsuccessful. As such, we stated that some believe that a regulated market is an ethical vehicle for shortening waiting lists and decreasing illegal organ sales. However, when we added ‘‘this concept forms the basis for compensated living donation in Sweden,’’ we did not mean to imply that compensated living donation is actually happening in Sweden. What we wished to convey is the possibility of implementing compensated living donation in Sweden because altruism only in living kidney donation is generally an unsuccessful doctrine in increasing organ donation and just compensation may gain public support and increase living donation. Some European countries share this view, and this position has been voiced by other authors. Again, just compensation is an ethical question. Allan M. Concejero, M.D. Chao-Long Chen, M.D. Chang Gung Memorial Hospital–Kaohsiung Medical Center, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
Dynamics of two pathogens in a single tick population

ABSTRACT A mathematical model for a two-pathogen, one-tick, one-host system is presented and explored. The goal of this model is to determine how long an invading pathogen persists within a tick population in which a resident pathogen is already established. The numerical simulations of the model demonstrate the parameter ranges that allow for coexistence of the two pathogens. Sensitivity analysis highlights the importance of vector-borne, tick-to-host, transmission rates on the invasion reproductive number and persistence of the pathogens over time. The model is then applied to a case study based on a reclaimed swampland field site in southeastern Virginia using field and laboratory data. The results pinpoint the thresholds required for persistence of both pathogens in the local tick population. However, the invading pathogen is not predicted to persist beyond three years. Understanding the persistence and coexistence of tick-borne pathogens will allow public health officials increased insight into tick-borne disease dynamics.
Field Efficacy of 27.12% Cuproxat SC against Rice False Smut Ustilaginoidea oryzae

Rice false smut(Ustilaginoidea oryzae)is one of important rice diseases. A field trial on control efficacy of 27.12% cuproxat SC against rice false smut was carried out using spraying application at Chuxiong of Yunnan province. The trial results showed that the control efficacy of 27.12% cuproxat SC against rice false smut reached 81.84% when spraying 27.12% cuproxat SC to rice plants once in the early heading stage at the application rate of 50 mL/667 m2,and the control efficacy of the conventional fungicide 20% validamycin soluble powder against rice false smut was 66.81%. Therefore,there was a significant difference between them.
Reply

We much appreciate Manatsathit and Samant for their comments about our recent report. At first, we would like to emphasize that the aim of this study was not to evaluate the difference in outcomes of the right lobe (RL) and the left lobe (LL) but to analyze why the RL graft was used even when the volumetric criteria of the LL graft was met in our institute. As Manatsathit and Samant suggested, graft-to-recipient weight ratio in the RL group was higher than that in the LL group (0.966 0.07 versus 0.766 0.03; P< 0.001), which might explain the good outcomes in the RL group among high Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) patients and older donors. Our first choice as a living donor graft is the LL graft because we think donor safety is the first priority when the volumetric criterion is met. However, despite the volumetric criterion being met, we had experienced patients with poor prognosis after living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). The predictive score was developed to improve the outcome of LDLT and was reported to correlate well with graft function and with 6-month graft survival. The formula for predicting early graft function after LDLT was derived from only 22 patients, so we re-evaluated 217 cases drawn from the period of April 2006 to June 2013. We validated the predictive scores calculated with our formula and revealed that the score reliably predicted 6-month graft survival. Simultaneous splenectomy, which is not standard in most of the world, was performed in most enrolled patients with chronic liver disease at our center, and it might have contributed to the outcome of the patients after LDLT. Although this study shows that graft selection strategy not only by graft volume but by donor age and recipient MELD score would improve the outcome after LDLT, further multicenter studies for graft selection strategy would be necessary.
Studies on the Technique of Detection of Transgenic Foreign Factors in the Soybean Oil

DNA was efficiently isolated from soybean oil through several measures of efficient emulsification, elongating the time of ethanol precipitation and repeat concentration of small DNA fragments. It was proved that DNA was isolated successfully by doing PCR of soybean native gene lectin; 35S promotor and nos terminator were detected in two varieties of soybean oil; Target gene of EPSPS (herbicide resistant gene) was successfully detected by increasing the amount of DNA in PCR; Detection method of transgenic factors in soybean oil was established.
Lindera erythrocarpa Makino extract reduces obesity induced by high-fat diet in rats

Lindera erythrocarpa Makino (LE) is widely distributed on Jeju Island, where it has been used for various traditional therapies. Effects of a crude extract of LE were examined in rats with obesity induced by a high-fat diet (HFD). Anti-obesity effects were followed in rats receiving orally administered vehicle, 100mg/kg extract, or 250 mg/kg LE extract, for 56 days. LE extract (250 mg/kg) suppressed increases in body weight and epididymal fat, with amelioration of fatty changes in the liver. Additionally, serum levels of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and total cholesterol were significantly decreased compared with those of vehicle-treated groups (p
Agricultural intensification alters bat assemblage composition and abundance in a dynamic Neotropical landscape

The recent trend of agricultural intensification in tropical landscapes poses a new threat to biodiversity conservation. Conversion of previously heterogeneous agricultural landscapes to intensive plantation agriculture simplifies and homogenizes the landscape, reducing availability, and connectivity of natural habitat for native species. To assess the impact of agricultural intensification on bats, we characterized the bat assemblage in the Sarapiquí region of Costa Rica, where heterogeneous land uses are being converted to intensive, large‐scale pineapple plantations. In 2012 and 2013, we sampled bats in 20 remnant forest patches surrounded by varying proportions of pasture, mature forest, and pineapple and captured 1821 individual bats representing 39 species. We used ordination analyses to evaluate changes in species composition, where pineapple is the main component of the agricultural matrix. We identified landscape metrics specifically correlated with pineapple and used multiple linear regression to test their effects on bat species richness, diversity, and guild‐specific relative abundance. Results suggest pineapple expansion is driving changes in assemblage composition in remnant forest patches, resulting in new assemblages with higher proportions of frugivorous bats and lower proportions of insectivorous bats than in continuous mature forests. In addition, while pineapple does not diminish total bat species richness and diversity, the reduced forest cover and increased distance between forest patches in pineapple plantations has a significant negative impact on the relative abundance of insectivores. We also identify a potential threshold effect whereby patches surrounded by more than 50 percent forest can retain assemblage composition similar to that found in continuous mature forest.
Effects of shading on contents of mogrosides and sugars in fruit flesh of Siraitia grosvenorii

With the common Siraitia grosvenorii variety of "yongqing 1#"as experimental material,the changes of concentrations of mogrosides monomers,soluble sugars,glucose,fructose,sucrose and starch in the fruit flesh,as well as the activities of sucrose metabolism enzymes,including acid invertase( AI),neutral invertase( NI),sucrose synthase( in synthesis direction,SSS; in cleavage direction SSC) and sucrose phosphate synthase( SPS) as well as the net photosynthetic rates were conducted during the late development stage of fruit under different shading treatments. The results indicated that in comparison with control,severe shading( 70% shading) resulted in significant increase of mogroside Ⅴ content:60 d after shading( 90 d after pollination),the content of mogroside Ⅴ in the fruit flesh of 70% shading treatment was 5.79%,significantly higher than that of control group( 4. 83%,P 0. 01). Meanwhile,the concentrations of glucose,fructose were also much higher than those of controls( P 0. 05). On the contary,the changes of concentrations of total soluble carbohydrates and sucrose were far different from those of mogroside Ⅴ,glucose and fructose: 60 d after shading,the levels of total soluble carbohydrates,sucrose in the fruit flesh of 70% shading treatment were significantly( P 0. 05),extremely significantly( P 0. 01) lower than those of controls,respectively. On the other hand,shading treatment led to a decrease of net photosynthetic rate( Pn) : 40 d after shading,Pn of leaves under 70% shading treatment was significantly( P 0. 05) lower than that of controls. The above results implied that severe shading treatment could result in the improvement of fruit quality of S. grosvenorii. In additon,under shading treatment,the decrease of photosynthetic rate could be the major reason for the decline of soluble sugar content,while changes of sucrose,fructose and glucose contents should be mainly resulted from the changes of activities of SPS,AI and SSC. In addition,under severe shading treatment,fall of temperature could be regarded as the probable cause for the increase of mogroside Ⅴ content. The research would provide theoretical basis for the production techniques and the quality control of Luo han guo fruit.