Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of Low Doses of Herbicides on Different Endpoints in the Life Cycle of Nontarget Terrestrial Plants

Herbicide drift may cause adverse effects on natural and seminatural plant communities, and it has been debated whether the current ecological risk assessments are adequate to protect nontarget terrestrial plant species. In the present study, 9 nontarget terrestrial plant species with different lifespans (3 annual/6 perennial) belonging to 6 different plant families were exposed to 4 herbicides with different modes of action at the vegetative (6–8 leaf) and reproductive (bud) stages separately. The plant tests were conducted under controlled conditions in 2 greenhouses, 1 located in Denmark and 1 in Canada. For both growth stages, effects were recorded on vegetative (above‐ground biomass 3 wk after treatment) and reproductive endpoints (number and germinability of seeds). In most cases, responses following exposure at the juvenile stage were greater than responses following exposure at the reproductive stage. For the combinations of herbicides and plant species included in the present study, we found that the sensitivities of vegetative and reproductive endpoints were equal, or else vegetative endpoints were more sensitive than reproductive endpoints. We also found that annual species were more sensitive than perennial species. The overall conclusions cover many different response patterns, and it is evident that some effects may not be found in the currently used standard tests. Generally, more pronounced effects were obtained in Denmark compared with Canada, highlighting the fact that even under standardized test conditions and following common guidelines, several uncontrollable factors can still induce variable results. Environ Toxicol Chem 2021;40:1389–1404. © 2021 SETAC
Definition of Reference Range for the Immature Granulocytes Parameter Provided by a Hematology Analyzer.

BACKGROUND Some pathologies or physiological changes may show forms of granulocytes in peripheral blood. Hematology analyzers have brought new parameters such as the detection of immature granulocytes (IG), which may be useful biomarkers. The objective of this study was determined the IG count in a control group to establish the reference range. METHODS A group of healthy donors was used to obtain the reference value of IG in the laboratory of the Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre. RESULTS The reference range of IG (n = 115) was 0 - 0.06 x 109/L and 0 - 0.63%. This reference interval was similar to that of previous studies. CONCLUSIONS The determination of the specific reference interval for each region is an important tool in the direct application of biomarkers in clinical laboratory routines. The use of reference values is essential so that the true positive cases for microscopic review are detected without a large number of false positives, which would impair laboratory efficiency.
Novel method for evaluating the health condition of mice in space through a video downlink

Clarification of the criteria for managing animal health is essential to increase the reliability of experiments and ensure transparency in animal welfare. For experiments performed in space, there is no consensus on how to care for animals owing to technical issues, launch mass limitation, and human resources. Some biological processes in mammals, such as musculoskeletal or immune processes, are altered in the space environment, and mice in space can be used to simulate morbid states, such as senescence acceleration. Thus, there is a need to establish a novel evaluation method and evaluation criteria to monitor animal health. Here, we report a novel method to evaluate the health of mice in space through a video downlink in a series of space experiments using the Multiple Artificial-gravity Research System (MARS). This method was found to be more useful in evaluating animal health in space than observations and body weight changes of the same live mice following their return to Earth. We also developed criteria to evaluate health status via a video downlink. These criteria, with “Fur condition” and “Respiratory” as key items, provided information on the daily changes in the health status of mice and helped to identify malfunctions at an early stage. Our method and criteria led to the success of our missions, and they will help establish appropriate rules for space experiments in the future.
Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUCMSCs) promotes the recovery of ovarian function in a rat model of premature ovarian failure (POF)

Abstract Aims Our study was to evaluate the benefits of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUCMSCs) for the prevention of premature ovarian failure (POF) in a rat model. Materials and methods 80 female SD rats aged between 6 and 8 weeks were randomly divided into 4 groups A, B, C and D. Rats in group A is normal control group; group B, C and D received zona pellucida glycoprotein 3 (pZP3) administration to induce POF model. Among these, group B is model control group; group C received PBS injection in ovaries and group D received hUCMSCs injection in ovaries, all injections were performed after modeling on the same day. Estrus cycle; serum hormone level of luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and amount of ovarian follicles were detected 20 days after treatment. Results We successfully injected hUCMSCs in the ovary tissue of a POF rat. The estrus cycle and hormone expression of the rats in group D tends to be normal. Histological studies indicated that hUCMSCs transplantation increased the amount of ovarian follicles. Conclusions This study shows that hUCMSCs may have a preventive effect on POF rats.
Is Cohort Representativeness Passé? Poststratified Associations of Lifestyle Risk Factors with Mortality in the UK Biobank

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text. Background: The UK Biobank (UKB) has been used widely to examine associations between lifestyle risk factors and mortality outcomes. It is unknown whether the extremely low UKB response rate (5.5%) and lack of representativeness materially affects the magnitude and direction of effect estimates. Methods: We used poststratification to match the UKB sample to the target population in terms of sociodemographic characteristics and prevalence of lifestyle risk factors (physical inactivity, alcohol intake, smoking, and poor diet). We compared unweighted and poststratified associations between each lifestyle risk factor and a lifestyle index score with all-cause, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and cancer mortality. We also calculated the unweighted to poststratified ratio of HR (RHR) and 95% confidence interval as a marker of effect-size difference. Results: Of 371,974 UKB participants with no missing data, 302,009 had no history of CVD or cancer, corresponding to 3,298,958 person years of follow-up. Protective associations between alcohol use and CVD mortality observed in the unweighted UKB were substantially altered after poststratification, for example, from a hazard ratio (HR) of 0.63 (0.45–0.87) unweighted to 0.99 (0.65–1.50) poststratified for drinking ≥5 times/week versus never drinking. The magnitude of the poststratified all-cause mortality hazard ratio comparing least healthy with healthiest tertile of lifestyle risk factor index was 9% higher (95% confidence interval: 4%, 14%) than the unweighted estimates. Conclusions: Lack of representativeness may distort the associations of alcohol with CVD mortality, and may underestimate health hazards among those with cumulatively the least healthy lifestyles.
YjbH regulates virulence genes expression and oxidative stress resistance in Staphylococcus aureus

ABSTRACT We previously reported that disruption of the yjbI gene reduced virulence of Staphylococcus aureus. In this study, we found virulence in both silkworms and mice was restored by introducing the yjbH gene but not the yjbI gene to both yjbI and yjbH genes-disrupted mutants, suggesting that yjbH, the gene downstream to the yjbI gene in a two-gene operon-yjbIH, is responsible for this phenomenon. We further observed a decrease in various surface-associated proteins and changes in cell envelope glycostructures in the mutants. RNA-seq analysis revealed that disruption of the yjbI and the yjbH genes resulted in differential expression of a broad range of genes, notably, significant downregulation of genes involved in virulence and oxidative stress. Administration of N-acetyl-L-cysteine, a free-radical scavenger, restored the virulence in both the mutants. Our findings suggested that YjbH plays a role in staphylococcal pathogenicity by regulating virulence gene expression, affecting the bacterial surface structure, and conferring resistance to oxidative stress in a host.
Structural diversity and retro-crystal engineering analysis of iodometalate hybrids

With guidance from retro-crystal engineering, iodometalate structures based on MI6 octahedra of group 14 (M = Sn(II), Pb(II)) and group 15 (M = Sb(III) and Bi(III)) are analysed. The criterion of I/M ratio, with the function of indicating the degree of condensation of octahedra in inorganic networks and the average charge density at the organic–inorganic interface, is introduced to classify all of the iodometalate networks, resulting in an easy and clear way to identify isomers with different dimensionalities. Of all iodometalates, the 2D M(II)I4 anion derived from the perovskite network is special since it can be easily stabilized by a range of common organic cations. We provide here the up-to-date progress in this extensively studied field, focusing on crystal engineering of hybrids in the aim of getting materials with a reduced band gap. Relationships between the molecular layouts of cationic entities and the structures of several non-perovskite anionic networks, focusing on the organic–inorganic interface, are highlighted. Distinct dependences between different types of cations and different types of anions are revealed, although it is still unfeasible to apply them in the actual control, design, or prediction of specific hybrid structures.
Inhibition of the activities of activated sludge in a sequencing batch reactor by high-strength ammonium nitrogen

AbstractTwo sequencing batch reactors were applied to investigate the activated sludge activities by high-concentration ammonia. The results indicated that the activity of nitrifying bacteria was much more susceptible than that of organics-utilizing bacteria and more severely inhibited by high-concentration ammonia. DHA in one SBR time cycle was increased to a maximum at first and then gradually decreased to a minimum value, which indicated that the activities of organics-utilizing bacteria could be maintained stably when fed with plenty of organic nutrients under high-concentration ammonia, but both the removed load of COD and NH4-N in activated sludge acclimated under high-concentration ammonia were higher than that under normal conditions, and the DHA declining rate of sludge acclimated under high-concentration ammonia was slower. This means that the activated sludge acclimated under high-concentration ammonia was also able to obtain strong resistance to inhibition by high-concentration ammonia, and th.
An unusual overrepresentation of genetic factors related to iron homeostasis in the genome of the fluorescent Pseudomonas sp. ABC1

Members of the genus Pseudomonas inhabit diverse environments, such as soil, water, plants and humans. The variability of habitats is reflected in the diversity of the structure and composition of their genomes. This cosmopolitan bacterial genus includes species of biotechnological, medical and environmental importance. In this study, we report on the most relevant genomic characteristics of Pseudomonas sp. strain ABC1, a siderophore‐producing fluorescent strain recently isolated from soil. Phylogenomic analyses revealed that this strain corresponds to a novel species forming a sister clade of the recently proposed Pseudomonas kirkiae. The genomic information reveals an overrepresented repertoire of mechanisms to hoard iron when compared to related strains, including a high representation of fecI‐fecR family genes related to iron regulation and acquisition. The genome of the Pseudomonas sp. ABC1 contains the genes for non‐ribosomal peptide synthetases (NRPSs) of a novel putative Azotobacter‐related pyoverdine‐type siderophore, a yersiniabactin‐type siderophore and an antimicrobial betalactone; the last two are found only in a limited number of Pseudomonas genomes. Strain ABC1 can produce siderophores in a low‐cost medium, and the supernatants from cultures of this strain promote plant growth, highlighting their biotechnological potential as a sustainable industrial microorganism.
A secretion‐based dual fluorescence assay for high‐throughput screening of alcohol dehydrogenases

Alcohol dehydrogenases (ADHs) play key roles in the production of various chemical precursors that are essential in pharmaceutical and fine chemical industries. To achieve a practical application of ADHs in industrial processes, tailoring enzyme properties through rational design or directed evolution is often required. Here, we developed a secretion‐based dual fluorescence assay (SDFA) for high‐throughput screening of ADHs. In SDFA, an ADH of interest is fused to a mutated superfolder green fluorescent protein (MsfGFP), which could result in the secretion of the fusion protein to culture broth. After a simple centrifugation step to remove the cells, the supernatant can be directly used to measure the activity of ADH based on a red fluorescence signal, whose increase is coupled to the formation of NADH (a redox cofactor of ADHs) in the reaction. SDFA allows easy quantification of ADH concentration based on the green fluorescence signal of MsfGFP. This feature is useful in determining specific activity and may improve screening accuracy. Out of five ADHs we have tested with SDFA, four ADHs can be secreted and characterized. We successfully screened a combinatorial library of an ADH from Pichia finlandica and identified a variant with a 197‐fold higher kcat/km value toward (S)‐2‐octanol compared to its wild type.
Selective Antibody Removal from Blood, Plasma, and Buffer Using Hollow Fiber-Based Specific Antibody Filters

Therapeutic antibody removal is performed to facilitate ABO-incompatible kidney transplants and heart and kidney xenotransplants, and to treat Goodpasture syndrome, myasthenia gravis, hemophilia with inhibitors, and thrombocytopenic purpura. Antibody removal is achieved non-selectively, via plasma exchange, or semi-selectively, via plasma perfusion through immunoadsorption columns containing immobilized protein A. We are developing hollow fiber-based specific antibody filters (SAFs) that selectively remove antibodies of a given specificity directly from whole blood, without separation of the plasma and cellular blood components and with minimal removal of plasma proteins other than the targeted antibodies. The working unit of the SAF is a hollow fiber dialysis membrane with antigens, specific for targeted antibodies, immobilized on the inner fiber wall. Several thousand SAF fibers are connected in parallel to produce a filter similar in construction to a hollow fiber hemodialyzer. A principal goal of our research is to identify the primary mechanisms that control antibody transport within the SAF, and to use this information to guide the choice of design and operational parameters that maximize the SAF-based antibody removal rate. We approached this goal by formulating a simple mathematical model of SAF-based antibody removal and performing in vitro antibody removal experiments to test key predictions of the model. Our model revealed three antibody transport regimes, defined by the magnitude of the Damkohler number Da (antibody-binding rate/antibody diffusion rate): reaction-limited (Da ≤ 0.1), intermediate (0.1 < Da < 10), and diffusion-limited (Da ≥ 10). For a given SAF geometry, blood flow rate, and antibody diffusivity, the highest antibody removal rate was predicted for diffusion-limited antibody transport. We performed in vitro antibody removal experiments in which SAFs containing immobilized bovine albumin (BSA) were used to remove anti-BSA antibodies from buffer. The measured anti-BSA removal rates were consistent with antibody transport in the intermediate regime. We concluded that initial SAF development work should focus on achieving diffusion-limited antibody transport by maximizing the SAF antibody-binding capacity. If diffusion-limited antibody transport is achieved, the antibody removal rate can be raised further by increasing the number and length of the SAF fibers and by increasing the blood flow rate through the SAF.
Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 is a surrogate biomarker for subclinical atherosclerosis in Type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Aim: We aimed to investigate biomarkers of inflammation, oxidative stress as surrogate markers of subclinical atherosclerosis in patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Materials & methods: Subjects were grouped based on carotid intima media thickness (CIMT). Group 1: healthy controls (CIMT <0.57 mm); Group 2: T2DM without subclinical atherosclerosis (CIMT <0.57 mm); Group 3: T2DM with subclinical atherosclerosis (CIMT ≥0.57 mm). Results: Significantly higher MDA, Hs-CRP, Ox-LDL, PTX-3, IL-6, ICAM-1 and lower FRAP, IL-10 levels in T2DM groups compared with controls (p = 0.001). Changes were more significant in Group 3 compared with Group 2. ICAM-1 had the highest sensitivity and specificity at a cut-off value of >40.34 ng/ml compared with Ox-LDL and PTX-3 (p < 0.001). Conclusion: ICAM can be considered as an alternate surrogate biomarker of CIMT.
Improved outcome of children with relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukemia by addition of cladribine to re‐induction chemotherapy

The preferred salvage treatment for children with relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukemia (R/R‐AML) remains unclear. The combination of cladribine/Ara‐C/granulocyte‐colony stimulating factor and mitoxantrone (CLAG‐M) shown promising results in adult R/R‐AML. We aim to investigate the efficacy and safety of CLAG‐M versus mitoxantrone/etoposide/cytarabine (MEC) or idarubicin/etoposide/cytarabine (IEC) in R/R‐AML children.
Microwave-assisted organocatalytic cross-aldol condensation of aldehydes

An environmentally benign organocatalytic cross-aldol condensation of aldehydes under microwave irradiation in the absence of solvent is described. Using pyrrolidine as a catalyst, an efficient and sustainable atom economic method was developed for the cross-aldol condensation of various aldehydes with excellent results. Among the products, jasmine aldehyde, α-hexyl cinnamaldehyde and cyclamen aldehyde, three compounds of great industrial demand, were synthesised.
A new view of macula densa cell microanatomy.

Although macula densa (MD) cells are chief regulatory cells in the nephron with unique microanatomical features, they have been difficult to study in full detail due to their inaccessibility and limitations in earlier microscopy techniques. The present study used a new mouse model with a comprehensive imaging approach to visualize so far unexplored microanatomical features of MD cells, their regulation and functional relevance. MD-GFP mice with conditional and partial induction of green fluorescent protein (GFP) expression, which specifically and intensely illuminated only single MD cells were used with fluorescence microscopy of fixed tissue and live MD cells in vitro and in vivo with complementary electron microscopy (EM) of rat, rabbit, and human kidney. An elaborate network of major and minor cell processes here named maculapodia were found at the cell base, projecting towards other MD cells and the glomerular vascular pole. The extent of maculapodia showed up-regulation by low dietary salt intake and female gender. Time-lapse imaging of maculapodia revealed highly dynamic features including rapid outgrowth and an extensive vesicular transport system. EM of rat, rabbit, and human kidneys, and three-dimensional (3D) volume reconstruction in optically cleared whole-mount MD-GFP mouse kidneys further confirmed the presence and projections of maculapodia into the extraglomerular mesangium and the afferent and efferent arterioles. The newly identified dynamic and secretory features of MD cells suggest the presence of novel functional and molecular pathways of cell-to-cell communication in the juxtaglomerular apparatus (JGA) between MD cells and between MD and other target cells.
RETRACTED ARTICLE: miR-202-3p negatively regulates MMP-1 to inhibit the proliferation, migration and invasion of lung adenocarcinoma cells

Statement of Retraction We, the Editors and Publisher of the journal Cell Cycle, have retracted the following article: Yong Li, Huiqin Huang, Xiangli Ye, Zhenghui Huang, Xiangqi Chen, Feng Wu, and Tingyan Lin. miR-202-3p negatively regulates MMP-1 to inhibit the proliferation, migration and invasion of lung adenocarcinoma cells. Cell Cycle. 2021;20(4):406-416. doi:10.1080/15384101.2021. 1876390. Since publication, concerns have been raised about the integrity of the data in the article. When approached for an explanation, the authors have been unable to address the concerns raised and have not been able to provide their original data. As verifying the validity of published work is core to the integrity of the scholarly record, we are therefore retracting the article. The corresponding author listed in this publication has been informed. The authors do not agree with the retraction. We have been informed in our decision-making by our policy on publishing ethics and integrity and the COPE guidelines on retractions. The retracted article will remain online to maintain the scholarly record, but it will be digitally watermarked on each page as ‘Retracted’.
ESTIMATION OF PYRIDOXINE HYDROCHLORIDE IN PHARMACEUTICAL ORAL SOLID DOSAGE FORM BY UV- SPECTROPHOTOMETRY

Four new, simple, sensitive and reproducible spectrophotometric methods have been developed for the estimation of pyridoxine hydrochloride in tablet dosage form. Method A involves the determination pyridoxine hydrochloride by standard absorbance method at 291 nm. Method B and Method C involves the determination of pyridoxine hydrochloride by first derivative spectrophotometry and second derivative spectrophotometry respectively. The normal spectrum was derivatized to first and second order derivative spectrum. The Beer’s concentration was found to be 10-40 µg/mL; Method D involves the determination of Pyridoxine hydrochloride by area under curve.
Understanding and avoiding late presentation for HIV diagnosis – study protocol of a trial using mixed methods (FindHIV)

ABSTRACT Many patients infected with HIV are diagnosed at an advanced stage of illness. These late presenters are individuals with a CD4 cell count of less than 350 cells/µL and/or an AIDS defining disease at initial HIV diagnosis. Purpose of FindHIV is to develop and distribute a questionnaire/scoring system aimed at a reduction in late presentation. FindHIV uses a mixed methods approach. In a first step, primary data of patients were collected. Inclusion criteria were: age ≥ 18 years, cognitive ability and language skills to participate in the study, initial HIV diagnosis within the past 6 months, and patient informed consent. Descriptive methods and regression models are used to identify: (1) patient characteristics associated with late presentation and (2) contacts to the healthcare system with indicator diseases that did not lead to HIV testing. Secondly, a questionnaire/scoring system is created by an expert panel. Afterwards the questionnaire/scoring system is to be disseminated. The greatest challenge was in reaching an adequate sample size. Another risk may be a recall bias. Nevertheless, FindHIV is devised as an in-depth study of the phenomenon of late presentation with potential to significantly improve HIV detection.