Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Relish as a Candidate Marker for Transgenerational Immune Priming in a Dampwood Termite (Blattodae: Archeotermopsidae)

Natural selection should favor the transfer of immune competence from one generation to the next in a context-dependent manner. Transgenerational immune priming (TGIP) is expected to evolve when species exploit pathogen-rich environments and exhibit extended overlap of parent–offspring generations. Dampwood termites are hemimetabolous, eusocial insects (Blattodea: Archeotermopsidae) that possess both of these traits. We predict that offspring of pathogen-exposed queens of Zootermopsis angusticollis will show evidence of a primed immune system relative to the offspring of unexposed controls. We found that Relish transcripts, one of two immune marker loci tested, were enhanced in two-day-old embryos when laid by Serratia-injected queens. These data implicate the immune deficiency (IMD) signaling pathway in TGIP. Although an independent antibacterial assay revealed that embryos do express antibacterial properties, these do not vary as a function of parental treatment. Taken together, Z. angusticollis shows transcriptional but not translational evidence for TGIP. This apparent incongruence between the transcriptional and antimicrobial response from termites suggests that effectors are either absent in two-day-old embryos or their activity is too subtle to detect with our antibacterial assay. In total, we provide the first suggestive evidence of transgenerational immune priming in a termite.
“We give them threatening advice…”: expectations of adherence to antiretroviral therapy and their consequences among adolescents living with HIV in rural Malawi

Many adolescents living with HIV in sub‐Saharan Africa struggle to achieve optimal adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART), but few studies have investigated how their treatment‐taking decisions are influenced by their social interactions with providers, caregivers and community leaders. This study aims to explore the narratives that define expectations of adherence to ART among adolescents living with HIV in a rural Malawian setting.
Influence of Adding Chinese Yam (Dioscorea opposita Thunb.) Flour on Dough Rheology, Gluten Structure, Baking Performance, and Antioxidant Properties of Bread

Impacts of wheat flour substituted with various levels of Chinese yam (Dioscorea opposita Thunb.) flour (from 0% to 25%) on the dough rheological characteristics, gluten structure, baking performance, and antioxidant properties of bread were investigated. The water absorption increased significantly (p < 0.05), while development time and stability decreased remarkably (p < 0.05) as the proportion of yam flour increased. SEM results indicated that the addition of yam flour destroyed the gluten network structure in the dough. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) spectra showed that addition of yam flour decreased the content of α-helix and β-sheet in gluten. With the increase in the proportion of yam flour, the specific volume and overall acceptability decreased (p < 0.05) whereas the total phenolics content (TPC), polysaccharides content, total flavonoids content (TFC), allantoin content, The 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging capability, fractal dimension, and hardness increased (p < 0.05). Overall, breads made of wheat flour replacement with no more than 15% Guihuai number 2 yam flour were of a high quality and had more antioxidant properties. These showed that Guihuai number 2 had broad application prospects in baked products.
Apparent Emotional Expression Explains the Effects of Head Posture on Perceived Trustworthiness and Dominance, but a Measure of Facial Width Does Not

Interpreting the personality and the disposition of people is important for social interaction. Both emotional expression and facial width are known to affect personality perception. Moreover, both the apparent emotional expression and the apparent width-to-height ratio of the face change with head tilt. We investigated how head tilt affects judgements of trustworthiness and dominance and whether such trait judgements reflect apparent emotion or facial width. Sixty-seven participants rated the dominance, emotion, and trustworthiness of 24 faces posing with different head tilts while maintaining eye gaze at the camera. Both the 30° up and 20° down head postures were perceived as less trustworthy and more dominant (less submissive) than the head-level posture. Change in perceived trustworthiness and submissiveness with head tilt correlated with change in apparent emotional positivity but not change in facial width. Hence, our analysis suggests that apparent emotional expression provides a better explanation of perceived trustworthiness and dominance compared with cues to facial structure.
Interaction between oocytes, cortical germ cells and granulosa cells of the mouse and bat, following the dissociation–re-aggregation of adult ovaries

Summary It is widely accepted that the oocyte plays a very active role in promoting the growth of the follicle by directing the differentiation of granulosa cells and secreting paracrine growth factors. In turn, granulosa cells regulate the development of the oocytes, establishing close bidirectional communication between germ and somatic cells. The presence of cortical cells with morphological characteristics, similar to primordial germ cells that express specific germline markers, stem cells and cell proliferation, known as adult cortical germ cells (ACGC) have been reported in phyllostomid bats. Using magnetic cell separation techniques, dissociation–cellular re-aggregation and organ culture, the behaviour of oocytes and ACGC was analyzed by interacting in vitro with mouse ovarian cells. Bat ACGC was mixed with disaggregated ovaries from a transgenic mouse that expressed green fluorescent protein. The in vitro reconstruction of the re-aggregates was evaluated. We examined the viability, integration, cellular interaction and ovarian morphogenesis by detecting the expression of Vasa, pH3, Cx43 and Laminin. Our results showed that the interaction between ovarian cells is carried out in the adult ovary of two species, without them losing their capacity to form follicular structures, even after having been enzymatically dissociated.
Low Rho activity in hepatocytes prevents apical from basolateral cargo separation during trans‐Golgi network to surface transport

Hepatocytes, the main epithelial cells of the liver, organize their polarized membrane domains differently from ductal epithelia. They also differ in their biosynthetic delivery of single‐membrane‐spanning and glycophosphatidylinositol‐anchored proteins to the apical domain. While ductal epithelia target apical proteins to varying degrees from the trans‐Golgi network (TGN) to the apical surface directly, hepatocytes target them first to the basolateral domain, from where they undergo basolateral‐to‐apical transcytosis. How TGN‐to‐surface transport differs in both scenarios is unknown. Here, we report that the basolateral detour of a hepatocyte apical protein is due, in part, to low RhoA activity at the TGN, which prevents its segregation from basolateral transport carriers. Activating Rho in hepatocytic cells, which switches their polarity from hepatocytic to ductal, also led to apical‐basolateral cargo segregation at the TGN as is typical for ductal cells, affirming a central role for Rho‐signaling in different aspects of the hepatocytic polarity phenotype. Nevertheless, Rho‐induced cargo segregation was not sufficient to target the apical protein directly; thus, failure to recruit apical targeting machinery also contributes to its indirect itinerary.
The Algorithms of Distributed Learning and Distributed Estimation about Intelligent Wireless Sensor Network

The intelligent wireless sensor network is a distributed network system with high “network awareness”. Each intelligent node (agent) is connected by the topology within the neighborhood which not only can perceive the surrounding environment, but can adjusts its own behavior according to its local perception information to constructs a distributed learning algorithms. Therefore, three basic intelligent network topologies of centralized, non-cooperative, and cooperative are intensively investigated in this paper. The main contributions of the paper include two aspects. First, based on algebraic graph, three basic theoretical frameworks for distributed learning and distributed parameter estimation of cooperative strategy are surveyed: increment strategy, consensus strategy, and diffusion strategy. Second, based on classical adaptive learning algorithm and online updating law, the implementation process of distributed estimation algorithm and the latest research progress of above three distributed strategies are investigated.
Heterogeneity of Circulating Tumor Cells in Breast Cancer: Identifying Metastatic Seeds

Metastasis being the main cause of breast cancer (BC) mortality represents the complex and multistage process. The entrance of tumor cells into the blood vessels and the appearance of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) seeding and colonizing distant tissues and organs are one of the key stages in the metastatic cascade. Like the primary tumor, CTCs are extremely heterogeneous and presented by clusters and individual cells which consist of phenotypically and genetically distinct subpopulations. However, among this diversity, only a small number of CTCs is able to survive in the bloodstream and to form metastases. The identification of the metastasis-initiating CTCs is believed to be a critical issue in developing therapeutic strategies against metastatic disease. In this review, we summarize the available literature addressing morphological, phenotypic and genetic heterogeneity of CTCs and the molecular makeup of specific subpopulations associated with BC metastasis. Special attention is paid to the need for in vitro and in vivo studies to confirm the tumorigenic and metastatic potential of metastasis-associating CTCs. Finally, we consider treatment approaches that could be effective to eradicate metastatic CTCs and to prevent metastasis.
What Results Should Be Returned from Opportunistic Screening in Translational Research?

Increasingly, patients without clinical indications are undergoing genomic tests. The purpose of this study was to assess their appreciation and comprehension of their test results and their clinicians’ reactions. We conducted 675 surveys with participants from the Vanderbilt Electronic Medical Records and Genomics (eMERGE) cohort. We interviewed 36 participants: 19 had received positive results, and 17 were self-identified racial minorities. Eleven clinicians who had patients who had participated in eMERGE were interviewed. A further 21 of these clinicians completed surveys. Participants spontaneously admitted to understanding little or none of the information returned to them from the eMERGE study. However, they simultaneously said that they generally found testing to be “helpful,” even when it did not inform their health care. Primary care physicians expressed discomfort in being asked to interpret the results for their patients and described it as an undue burden. Providing genetic testing to otherwise healthy patients raises a number of ethical issues that warrant serious consideration. Although our participants were enthusiastic about enrolling and receiving their results, they express a limited understanding of what the results mean for their health care. This fact, coupled the clinicians’ concern, urges greater caution when educating and enrolling participants in clinically non-indicated testing.
At the Crossroads of Apoptosis and Autophagy: Multiple Roles of the Co-Chaperone BAG3 in Stress and Therapy Resistance of Cancer

BAG3, a multifunctional HSP70 co-chaperone and anti-apoptotic protein that interacts with the ATPase domain of HSP70 through its C-terminal BAG domain plays a key physiological role in cellular proteostasis. The HSP70/BAG3 complex determines the levels of a large number of selective client proteins by regulating their turnover via the two major protein degradation pathways, i.e. proteasomal degradation and macroautophagy. On the one hand, BAG3 competes with BAG1 for binding to HSP70, thereby preventing the proteasomal degradation of its client proteins. By functionally interacting with HSP70 and LC3, BAG3 also delivers polyubiquitinated proteins to the autophagy pathway. BAG3 exerts a number of key physiological functions, including an involvement in cellular stress responses, proteostasis, cell death regulation, development, and cytoskeletal dynamics. Conversely, aberrant BAG3 function/expression has pathophysiological relevance correlated to cardiomyopathies, neurodegeneration, and cancer. Evidence obtained in recent years underscores the fact that BAG3 drives several key hallmarks of cancer, including cell adhesion, metastasis, angiogenesis, enhanced autophagic activity, and apoptosis inhibition. This review provides a state-of-the-art overview on the role of BAG3 in stress and therapy resistance of cancer, with a particular focus on BAG3-dependent modulation of apoptotic signaling and autophagic/lysosomal activity.
X-linked peripheral retinoschisis without macular involvement: a case series with RS1 genetic confirmation

ABSTRACT Background: Juvenile X-linked Retinoschisis (JXLRS) is a hereditary retinopathy that commonly presents with macular retinoschisis. In this study, we describe a group of patients who presented with peripheral retinoschisis with no macular schisis. Materials and Methods: A retrospective case series of three JXLRS patients with genetically confirmed RS1 genotypes was identified. Presence of macular and/or peripheral retinoschisis as assessed by optical coherence tomography (OCT), wide-field fluorescein angiography, clinical ophthalmoscopy, and color fundus photography. Results: The eyes of the three JXLRS patients with peripheral retinoschisis had no macular schisis or atrophy on OCT. ERG was available in one patient and showed no reduced b-waves on scotopic combined rod-cone response. Conclusions: RS1 mutations can cause a macular-sparing JXLRS phenotype. The diagnosis of JXLRS should be considered for young males presenting with peripheral retinoschisis even if there is no evidence of macular schisis.
A Lightweight Key Agreement Protocol Based on Chinese Remainder Theorem and ECDH for Smart Homes

Security and efficiency are the two main challenges for designing a smart home system. In this paper, by incorporating Chinese remainder theorem (CRT) into the elliptic curve Diffie–Hellman (ECDH), a lightweight key agreement protocol for smart home systems is constructed. Firstly, one-way hash authentication is used to identify the sensor nodes instead of mutual authentication to reduce the authentication cost. Secondly, the CRT is introduced to enhance the security of the original ECDH key agreement. Security analysis showed that the proposed protocol can validate the data integrity and resist the replay attack, the man-in-middle attack, and other attacks. Performance analysis and experiments showed that the protocol achieves high security with low communication and computation costs, and can be implemented in smart home systems.
Acquisition of Avian-Origin PB1 Facilitates Viral RNA Synthesis by the 2009 Pandemic H1N1 Virus Polymerase

The constant crosstalk between the large avian reservoir of influenza A viruses (IAV) and its mammalian hosts drives viral evolution and facilitates their host switching. Direct adaptation of an avian strain to human or reassortment between avian-origin gene segments with that of human strains are the two mechanisms for the emergence of pandemic viruses. While it was suggested that the 1918 pandemic virus is of avian origin, reassortment of 1918 human isolates and avian influenza viruses led to the generation of 1957 and 1968 pandemic viruses. Interestingly, the avian PB1 segment, which encodes the catalytic subunit of IAV polymerase, is present in the 1957 and 1968 pandemic viruses. The biological consequence and molecular basis of such gene exchange remain less well understood. Using the 2009 pandemic H1N1 virus as a model, whose polymerase contains a human-origin PB1 subunit, we demonstrate that the acquisition of an avian PB1 markedly enhances viral RNA synthesis. This enhancement is also effective in the absence of PB2 adaptive mutations, which are key determinants of host switching. Mechanistically, the avian-origin PB1 does not appear to affect polymerase assembly but imparts the reassorted pandemic polymerase-augmented viral primary transcription and replication. Moreover, compared to the parental pandemic polymerase, the reassorted polymerase displays comparable complementary RNA (cRNA)-stabilizing activity but is specifically enhanced in progeny viral RNA (vRNA) synthesis from cRNA in a trans-activating manner. Overall, our results provide the first insight into the mechanism via which avian-origin PB1 enhances viral RNA synthesis of the 2009 pandemic virus polymerase.
Uninterrupted Development of Two Aphid Species Belonging to Cinara Genus during Winter Diapause

Aphids are herbivores carrying the status of major pests for crops and ornamental plants. The many specific biological features of aphids allow them to survive unfavorable environmental conditions. As for other insects, a predominant strategy for aphids surviving winter, is laying diapausing eggs. During diapause, the expression of development may vary between species. Most of the insects stop growing during diapause; however, there is limited information about this process. We immunostained the embryos of aphids in order to detect cell division during diapause. Here, for the first time, we present that two species of aphids belonging to Cinara grow and develop throughout the duration of the winter diapause. Our results showed that the “resting stage” does not occur in embryos of these aphid species. The embryo of C. cupressi and C. juniperi undergoes a type of diapause, with slow growth. It seems that this feature is conducive to the rapid development of embryos in the egg, which may be another specific feature for aphid biology of overwintering.
Health Consequences for E-Waste Workers and Bystanders—A Comparative Cross-Sectional Study

Informal e-waste recycling is associated with several health hazards. Thus far, the main focus of research in the e-waste sector has been to assess the exposure site, such as the burden of heavy metals or organic pollutants. The aim of this study was to comprehensively assess the health consequences associated with informal e-waste recycling. A questionnaire-based assessment regarding occupational information, medical history, and current symptoms and complaints was carried out with a group of n = 84 e-waste workers and compared to a control cohort of n = 94 bystanders at the e-waste recycling site Agbogbloshie. E-waste workers suffered significantly more from work-related injuries, back pain, and red itchy eyes in comparison to the control group. In addition, regular drug use was more common in e-waste workers (25% vs. 6.4%). Both groups showed a noticeable high use of pain killers (all workers 79%). The higher frequency of symptoms in the e-waste group can be explained by the specific recycling tasks, such as burning or dismantling. However, the report also indicates that adverse health effects apply frequently to the control group. Occupational safety trainings and the provision of personal protection equipment are needed for all workers.
miR‐373 inhibits autophagy and further promotes apoptosis of cholangiocarcinoma cells by targeting ULK1

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma is a malignant tumor originating from intrahepatic bile ducts. Surgical therapy, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy are taken to treat this disease, but it is prone to recurrence and metastasis, with poor prognosis. Therefore, it is of great significance to explore new targets and molecular mechanisms for the development of cholangiocarcinoma cells. Clinical cholangiocarcinoma tissues from patients and four human cholangiocarcinoma cell lines were analyzed for microRNA‐373 (miR‐373) expression. For investigating whether miR‐373 directly modulated unc‐51 like autophagy activating kinase 1 (ULK1), dual‐luciferase reporter assay was performed. In addition, CCK‐8 assay, flow cytometry, western blot, and immunofluorescence were applied to evaluate the proliferation, apoptosis, and autophagy of cholangiocytic hepatocellular carcinoma cells. miR‐373 downregulation was observed in clinical tissues and cell lines of cholangiocarcinoma. Overexpression of miR‐373 reduced proliferation, enhanced apoptosis, and raised expression levels of pro‐apoptosis proteins including BCL2 associated X (Bax), Caspase‐3, and Caspase‐9. Moreover, overexpression of miR‐373 downregulated expression levels of microtubule‐associated protein 1A/1B‐light chain 3 (LC3)‐II, Beclin‐1, and promoted P62 expression on mRNA and protein levels. After miR‐373 knockdown, all indexes of apoptosis and autophagy mentioned above were reversed. Luciferase activity was decreased after cotransfection of miR‐373 mimic and wild‐type ULK1 vector. Also, miR‐373 overexpression inhibited ULK1 expression. Importantly, overexpression of miR‐373 weakened expressions of ULK1, LC3, Beclin‐1, and Bcl‐2, and enhanced expressions of P62, Bax, Caspase‐3, and Caspase‐9. miR‐373 mimic treatment and subsequent ULK1 overexpression, induced reverse regulation in expressions of these proteins, compared with overexpression of miR‐373 only. miR‐373 targeted ULK1 to initiate inhibition of autophagy and subsequent promotion of apoptosis in cholangiocarcinoma cells.
Do Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases (COPD) Self-Management Interventions Consider Health Literacy and Patient Activation? A Systematic Review

Self-management (SM) includes activities that patients initiate and perform in the interest of controlling their disease and maintaining good health and well-being. This review examines the health literacy and patient activation elements of self-management interventions for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases (COPD) patients. We investigated the effects of the intervention on health-related quality of life, self-efficacy, depression, and anxiety among people with COPD. We conducted a systematic review of studies evaluating the efficacy of self-management interventions among COPD patients that also included health literacy or patient activation as keywords. Four electronic databases Medline, EMBASE, PsycINFO, and Google Scholar, were searched to identify eligible studies. These studies were screened against predetermined inclusion criteria. Data were extracted according to the review questions. Twenty-seven studies met the criteria for inclusion. All of the included studies incorporated health literacy components and focused on COPD and self-management skills. Three studies measured health literacy; two showed improvements in disease knowledge, and one reported a significant change in health-related behaviors. Seventeen studies aimed to build and measured self-efficacy, but none measured patient activation. Eleven studies with multicomponent interventions showed an improvement in quality of life. Six studies that focused on specific behavioral changes with frequent counseling and monitoring demonstrated improvement in self-efficacy. Two interventions that used psychosocial counseling and patient empowerment methods showed improvement in anxiety and depression. Most self-management interventions did not measure health literacy or patient activation as an outcome. Successful interventions were multicomponent and comprehensive in addressing self-management. There is a need to evaluate the impact of comprehensive self-management interventions that address and measure both health literacy and patient activation on health outcomes for COPD patients.