Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
In-furrow inoculation and selection for higher motility enhances the efficacy of Bradyrhizobium japonicum nodulation.

The issue of competition for nodulation has received much attention in studies on soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr. ] crops because native soil rhizobia often preclude nodulation of inoculated high-quality strains. In this work, soil placement and enhanced motility of Bradyrhizobium japonicum were investigated as strategies to improve the competitiveness of soybean inoculants applied in the presence of large populations of native (or indigenous) soybean-nodulating rhizobia. The first strategy might allow for the enhanced distribution ofinoculant rhizobia in the surface soil, compared with inoculant that is directly applied to soybean seed, while the second strategy is expected to enhance root colonization. The effects of soil placement and enhanced bacterial motility on percentage nodule occupation, grain yield, and grain N contents were examined during the 2004-2005 soybean season at three locations in Argentina, comprising soils classified as entic hapludol, argillic pelludert, and typical argiudol. The experimental design was a randomized complete block design, and main effects and interactions were also analyzed with a factorial design. Strain LP 3008, previously selected for increased motility, was more effective than the commonly inoculated strain E 109. While E 109 occupied, on average, 13.2% of nodules with seed inoculation, LP 3008 occupied 28.2%. In comparison, in-furrow inoculation yielded 24.2 and 37.2% average nodule occupancies for E 109 and LP 3008, respectively. However, these gains in nodulation efficacy lead to a modest, nonsignificant yield increase, and grain N content was unaffected.
Effect of Restricted Feeding before Marketing on Taste Active Components of Broiler Chickens

In order to examine the usefulness of restricted feeding often employed in chicken productions, effects of short-term restricted feeding on taste components of broiler meat, i. e. , free amino acids and ATP metabolites, were studied using 49-day-old female Cobb strain broilers. In experiment 1, chickens were fed an experimental diet ad libitum (control), or the 50% or 25% amount of the control group (restricted feeding) for 10 days. Free amino acids and ATP metabolites of the breast meat extract were determined. In experiment 2, the time course of changes in free glutamic acid (Glu) and ATP metabolites by restricted feeding (50% of control) period was studied for 14 days. In experiment 3, in order to see the correlation between the chemical composition and the meat taste, the sensory evaluation of meat extract and meat were conducted. As a result, of all free amino acids in the meat extract, only Glu and arginine were significantly lower in the restricted groups than in the control group. Glu decreased gradually with time by restricted feeding down to 64.0% significantly on day 10. 5'-inosinic acid (IMP) in the meat extract was increased 12.8% on day 2, and remained constant thereafter. Sensory evaluation indicated that the taste of meat extract as well as of meat in the restricted group was inferior to that in the control group. All the results suggest that restricted feeding may deteriorate the meat taste of broilers rather than improve it, contrary to a general expectation. Therefore, we should be cautious to use restricted feeding to improve the meat quality of chicken.
RAY FLORET MORPHOLOGY AND THE ORIGIN OF VARIABILITY IN SENECIO CAMBRENSIS ROSSER, A RECENTLY ESTABLISHED ALLOPOLYPLOID SPECIES

Summary The genetic basis of polymorphism in the capitula of Senecio cambrensis has been shown to be the result of interaction between genes at two loci for ray floret length. This polymorphism is likely to be augmented by infrequent inter-genomic pairing, despite the predominance of preferential homologous pairing. It is suggested that homoeologous pairing may be an important source of variability in the species.
Results from the first South African Health Products Regulatory Authority-approved randomised trial evaluating supplementation of standard antibiotic therapy with a commercially available probiotic in South African women with bacterial vaginosis

Background: Bacterial vaginosis (BV) increases HIV risk and adverse reproductive outcomes in women. The standard-of-care (SOC) for BV is antibiotic treatment; however, cure rates are low and recurrence frequent. In South Africa, no trial comparing probiotics to SOC for BV has been approved by the South African Health Products regulatory Authority (SAHPRA). We aimed to explore the South African regulatory and ethics environment to evaluate adjunctive probiotics for improvement of BV treatment in a randomized single-blinded trial of a locally sourced oral-vaginal-combination probiotic for vaginal health. Methods: South African women with symptomatic vaginal discharge were screened for BV and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including Trichomonas vaginalis, Mycoplasma genitalium, Neisseria gonorrhoae and Chlamydia trachomatis. BV positive (by Nugent Scoring) STI negative women were randomized to Metrogel alone (n=12) or Metrogel followed by a commercially available South African oral/vaginal probiotic (n=18). BV cure at one month was the primary endpoint. Secondary endpoints were recurrence, symptoms, vaginal microbiota and genital inflammation over five months post-treatment, and acceptability of the administered probiotic. Results: SAHPRA reviewed and acknowledged this trial. Overall, 44.8% of women cleared BV one month post-treatment. Despite confirmed viability of probiotic species contained in the commercial oral/vaginal probiotic, they did not appear to colonize the female genital tract of most women in the intervention group. No significant differences in BV cure rates, vaginal pH, microbiota nor IL-1alpha concentrations were found between SOC and intervention groups, although we were underpowered to detect small differences. Acceptability and adherence to the probiotic product was high. Conclusion: Navigation of the SAHPRA registration process for evaluating a commercial probiotic in a randomised trial has laid the path for future trials of improved probiotic products for vaginal health in South Africa with adequate sample sizes. Acceptability of vaginally applied probiotics was high in South African women. Improvements in both the content and delivery of commercially available probiotic products for vaginal health should be considered.
COVID- 19 Infection in Children: Estimating Pediatric Morbidity and Mortality

BACKGROUND: Estimates of pediatric morbidity and mortality from COVID-19 are vital for planning optimal use of human and material resources throughout this pandemic. METHODS: Government websites from countries with minimum 1000 cases in adults and children on April 13, 2020 were searched to find the number of cases confirmed in children, the age range, and the number leading to hospitalization, intensive care unit (ICU) admission or death. A systematic literature search was performed April 13, 2020 to find additional data from cases series. RESULTS: Data on pediatric cases were available from government websites for 23 of the 70 countries with minimum 1000 cases by April 13, 2020. Of 424 978 cases in these 23 countries, 8113 (1.9%) occurred in children. Nine publications provided data from 4251 cases in 4 additional countries. Combining data from the websites and the publications, 330 of 2361 cases required admission (14%). The ICU admission rate was 2.2 % of confirmed cases (44 of 2031) and 7.2% of admitted children (23 of 318). Death was reported for 15 cases. CONCLUSION: Children accounted for 1.9% of confirmed cases. The true incidence of pediatric infection and disease will only be known once testing is expanded to individuals with less severe or no symptoms. Admission rates vary from 0.3 to 10% of confirmed cases (presumably varying with the threshold for testing) with about 7% of admitted children requiring ICU care. Death is rare in middle and high income countries.
Shared Antigen-specific CD8+ T cell Responses Against the SARS-COV-2 Spike Protein in HLA A*02:01 COVID-19 Participants

We report here on antigens from the SARS-CoV-2 virus spike protein, that when presented by Class I MHC, can lead to cytotoxic CD8+ T cell anti-viral responses in COVID-19 patients. We present a method in which the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein is converted into a library of peptide antigen-Major Histocompatibility Complexes (pMHCs) as single chain trimers that contain the peptide antigen, the MHC HLA allele, and the {beta}-2 microglobulin sub-unit. That library is used to detect the evolution of virus-specific T cell populations from two COVID-19 patients, at two time points over the course of infection. Both patients exhibit similar virus-specific T cell populations, but very different time-trajectories of those populations. These results can be used to track those virus-specific T cell populations over the course of an infection, thus providing deep insight into the variations in immune system trajectories observed in different COVID-19 patients.
Prediction of 7‐year's conversion from subjective cognitive decline to mild cognitive impairment

Subjective cognitive decline (SCD) is a high‐risk yet less understood status before developing Alzheimer's disease (AD). This work included 76 SCD individuals with two (baseline and 7 years later) neuropsychological evaluations and a baseline T1‐weighted structural MRI. A machine learning‐based model was trained based on 198 baseline neuroimaging (morphometric) features and a battery of 25 clinical measurements to discriminate 24 progressive SCDs who converted to mild cognitive impairment (MCI) at follow‐up from 52 stable SCDs. The SCD progression was satisfactorily predicted with the combined features. A history of stroke, a low education level, a low baseline MoCA score, a shrunk left amygdala, and enlarged white matter at the banks of the right superior temporal sulcus were found to favor the progression. This is to date the largest retrospective study of SCD‐to‐MCI conversion with the longest follow‐up, suggesting predictable far‐future cognitive decline for the risky populations with baseline measures only. These findings provide valuable knowledge to the future neuropathological studies of AD in its prodromal phase.
The Evolutionary History of Sauropod Dinosaurs

Most recent studies of dinosaur phylogeny have concentrated on theropods and ornithischians. As a result, the evolutionary relationships of sauropod dinosaurs are poorly understood. In this paper previous studies of sauropod phylogeny are reviewed and contrasted with the results of a recent cladistic analysis. This analysis forms the basis for a reconstruction of sauropod phylogeny. Sauropods diverged from other dinosaurs at some time in the Upper Triassic, but a large part of their early history is totally unknown. Vulcanodon is currently the most primitive sauropod. Many, but perhaps not all, of the Jurassic Chinese sauropods form a monophyletic radiation (the Euhelopodidae) which may reflect the geographic isolation of China during the Lower Jurassic. Members of the Euhelopodidae, such as Mamenchisaurus, are not considered to be closely related to the Diplodocidae. \`Forked' chevrons, which have played such an important role in previous studies of sauropod phylogeny, are here considered to have evolved twice within the Sauropoda. This convergence may reflect a correlation between chevron shape and the use of the tail as a weapon within these two sauropod families. The \`Neosauropoda' (sister group to the Euhelopodidae) contains the Brachiosauridae, Camara-sauridae and the new superfamilies Titanosauroidea and Diplodocoidea. The Cetiosauridae (here defined in a rather restricted sense) is also provisionally included within the Neosauropoda, but may be removed in future studies. The enigmatic Upper Cretaceous sauropod, Opisthocoelicaudia, is thought to be the sister taxon to the Titanosauridae and not a camarasaurid as previously suggested. The Diplodocoidea contains two well established families, the Dicraeosauridae and Diplodocidae, and the new family Nemegtosauridae. Finally, an overview of sauropod phylogeny is compared with recently published palaeogeographic reconstructions. There are many difficulties associated with the analysis of sauropod biogeographic distribution. Nevertheless, some aspects of sauropod phylogeny may be linked to the break-up of Laurasia and Gondwanaland during the Jurassic and Cretaceous.
Effectiveness and Safety of a Clonidine Adhesive Patch for Children With Tic Disorders: Study in a Real-World Practice

Background: Real-world evidence includes data from retrospective/prospective observational studies and observational registries, and provides insights beyond those addressed by randomized controlled trials. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of a clonidine adhesive patch (CAP) for children with tic disorder (TD) in a real-world setting (RWS). Methods: This was an open-label, non-interventional, post-marketing, observational study in a RWS. Children diagnosed with TDs were enrolled from a pediatric neurology clinic in China, and the change in tic symptom severity following 6 weeks pharmacologic treatments was investigated using Yale Global Tic Severity Scale (YGTSS) during visits at weeks 0, 4, 8, and 12. Results: Of 150 patients, 76% (114/150) were male (age range, 3.03–14.24 years; mean, 8.11 ± 2.48 years). Patients were divided into three groups: tiapride (n = 94), CAP (n = 14), and CAP + tiapride (n = 42). The mean YGTSS improved 11.02, 15.14, 11.13 points from baseline to posttreatment for tiapride, CAP, and CAP + tiapride, respectively, but variance analysis showed there was no significant difference in YGTSS related to different pharmacologic intervention during subsequent visits at weeks 4, 8, and 12. Repeated measure analysis showed there was no significant difference between different medication types for reducing the YGTSS score (F = 0.553, P = 0.576). No serious adverse events (AEs) occurred, and there was no significant difference in the prevalence of AEs between the three groups. Conclusion: The CAP is effective and safe for TD management in a RWS, because of the limitation of sample size and the period of follow up, observational studies with longer-term outcomes, and larger sample size are needed.
Magnetic Carbon Nanotubes/Graphene Oxide Nanocomposites: One-Step Controllable Production, and Their Excellent Microwave Absorption Capabilities

In this research, three-dimensional (3D) hierarchical networks of magnetic carbon nanotubes/graphene oxide (CNTs/GO) nanocomposites (NCs) were synthesized by a one-step hydrothermal method with the idea of constructing more interface contacts, a double loss mechanism and synergy effect. The obtained results showed that the content of NCs gradually transitioned from CoCO3 to CoxFe3–xO4. Further, CoCO3-CoxFe3–xO4/CNTs/GO quaternary NCs and CoxFe3–xO4/CNTs/GO ternary NCs could be selectively synthesized when the Co:Fe molar ratio decreased from 1:1 to 1:3. The as-prepared samples displayed excellent microwave absorption properties (MAPs) in terms of the minimum reflection loss (RLmin) and the corresponding absorption bandwidth (FBcor) with reflection loss values lower than −10 dB. The RLmin and large FBcor values for the as-prepared samples were −54.69 dB and 2.36 GHz, −63.99 dB and 2.48 GHz, −63.36 dB and 2.68 GHz, respectively. The designed 3D hierarchical networked structure of magnetic GO/CNTs NCs displayed outstanding comprehensive MAPs, which could deliver a practical and effective strategy to develop high-performance microwave absorbers (MAs), considering their low cost, lightweight, and high stability.
Using Genetic Risk Score Approaches to Infer Whether an Environmental Factor Attenuates or Exacerbates the Adverse Influence of a Candidate Gene

Some candidate genes have been robustly reported to be associated with complex traits, such as the fat mass and obesity-associated (FTO) gene on body mass index (BMI), and the fibroblast growth factor 5 (FGF5) gene on blood pressure levels. It is of interest to know whether an environmental factor (E) can attenuate or exacerbate the adverse influence of a candidate gene. To this end, we here evaluate the performance of “genetic risk score” (GRS) approaches to detect “gene-environment interactions” (G × E). In the first stage, a GRS is calculated according to the genotypes of variants in a candidate gene. In the second stage, we test whether E can significantly modify this GRS effect. This two-stage procedure can not only provide a p-value for a G × E test but also guide inferences on how E modifies the adverse effect of a gene. With systematic simulations, we compared several ways to construct a GRS. If E exacerbates the adverse influence of a gene, GRS formed by the elastic net (ENET) or the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) is recommended. However, the performance of ENET or LASSO will be compromised if E attenuates the adverse influence of a gene, and using the ridge regression (RIDGE) can be more powerful in this situation. Applying RIDGE to 18,424 subjects in the Taiwan Biobank, we showed that performing regular exercise can attenuate the adverse influence of the FTO gene on four obesity measures: BMI (p = 0.0009), body fat percentage (p = 0.0031), waist circumference (p = 0.0052), and hip circumference (p = 0.0001). As another example, we used RIDGE and found the FGF5 gene has a stronger effect on blood pressure in Han Chinese with a higher waist-to-hip ratio [p = 0.0013 for diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and p = 0.0027 for systolic blood pressure (SBP)]. This study provides an evaluation on the GRS approaches, which is important to infer whether E attenuates or exacerbates the adverse influence of a candidate gene.
Observational Study of Pulse Transit Time in Children With Sleep Disordered Breathing

Background: Pulse transit time (PTT) is a non-invasive measure of arousals and respiratory effort for which we aim to identify threshold values that detect sleep disordered breathing (SDB) in children. We also compare the sensitivity and specificity of oximetry with the findings of a multi-channel study. Methods: We performed a cross-sectional observational study of 521 children with SDB admitted for multi-channel sleep studies (pulse oximetry, ECG, video, sound, movement, PTT) in a secondary care centre. PTT data was available in 368 children. Studies were categorised as normal; primary snoring; upper airway resistance syndrome (UARS); obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), and “abnormal other. ” Receiver operator characteristic curves were constructed for different PTT (Respiratory swing; Arousal index) thresholds using a random sample of 50% of children studied (training set); calculated thresholds of interest were validated against the other 50% (test set). Study findings were compared with oximetry categories (normal, inconclusive, abnormal) using data (mean and minimum oxygen saturations; oxygen desaturations > 4%) obtained during the study. Results: Respiratory swing of 17.92 ms identified SDB (OSA/UARS) with sensitivity: 0.80 (C.I. 0.62–0.90) and specificity 0.79 (C.I. 0.49–0.87). PTT arousal index of 16.06/ hour identified SDB (OSA/UARS) with sensitivity: 0.85 (95% C.I. 0.67–0.92) and specificity 0.37 (95% C.I. 0.17–0.48). Oximetry identified SDB (OSA) with sensitivity: 0.38 (C.I. 0.31–0.46) and specificity 0.98 (C.I. 0.97–1.00). Conclusions: PTT is more sensitive but less specific than oximetry at detecting SDB in children. The additional use of video and sound enabled detection of SDB in twice as many children as oximetry alone.
Efficacy and Side Effects of Drugs Commonly Used for the Treatment of Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms Associated With Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is the most common benign disease of the prostate gland and is caused by benign hyperplasia of the smooth muscle cells and stromal cells in this important gland. BPH is also the most common disease underlying lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). The incidence of BPH increases with age and affects more than half of all men 50 years or older. BPH mainly exerts effects on urinary function and can seriously reduce a patient's quality of life. At present, treatment for BPH aims primarily to improve the quality of life and reduce the risk of BPH-related complications. Pharmacological therapy is recommended for moderate-to-severe cases of LUTS that are suggestive of BPH. A range of drugs is currently available to treat this condition, including α1-adrenoceptor antagonists, 5α-reductase inhibitors (5-ARIs), phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors (PDE5Is), muscarinic receptor antagonists (MRAs), β3-adrenoceptor agonists, and plant extracts. Of these, the most commonly used drugs in the clinic are α1-adrenoceptor antagonists, 5-ARIs, and combination therapy. However, these drugs exert their effects via various mechanisms and are associated with adverse reactions. The purpose of this review is to provide current comprehensive perspectives on the mechanisms of action, efficacy, and adverse reactions associated with the drugs most commonly used for the treatment of BPH.
Arabidopsis Plants Sense Non-self Peptides to Promote Resistance Against Plectosphaerella cucumerina

Peptides are important regulators that participate in the modulation of almost every physiological event in plants, including defense. Recently, many of these peptides have been described as defense elicitors, termed phytocytokines, that are released upon pest or pathogen attack, triggering an amplification of plant defenses. However, little is known about peptides sensing and inducing resistance activities in heterologous plants. In the present study, exogenous peptides from solanaceous species, Systemins and HypSys, are sensed and induce resistance to the necrotrophic fungus Plectosphaerella cucumerina in the taxonomically distant species Arabidopsis thaliana. Surprisingly, other peptides from c1loser taxonomic clades have very little or no effect on plant protection. In vitro bioassays showed that the studied peptides do not have direct antifungal activities, suggesting that they protect the plant through the promotion of the plant immune system. Interestingly, tomato Systemin was able to induce resistance at very low concentrations (0.1 and 1 nM) and displays a maximum threshold being ineffective above at higher concentrations. Here, we show evidence of the possible involvement of the JA-signaling pathway in the Systemin-Induced Resistance (Sys-IR) in Arabidopsis. Additionally, Systemin treated plants display enhanced BAK1 and BAK1 gene expression following infection as well as increased production of ROS after PAMP treatment suggesting that Systemin sensitizes Arabidopsis perception to pathogens and PAMPs.