Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Man α1-2 Man α-OMe-concanavalin A complex reveals a balance of forces involved in carbohydrate recognition

We have determined the crystal structure of the methyl glycoside of Man alpha1-2 Man in complex with the carbohydrate binding legume lectin concanavalin A (Con A). Man alpha1-2 Man alpha-OMe binds more tightly to concanavalin A than do its alpha1-3 and alpha1-6 linked counterparts. There has been much speculation as to why this is so, including a suggestion of the presence of multiple binding sites for the alpha1-2 linked disaccharide. Crystals of the Man alpha1-2 Man alpha-OMe-Con A complex form in the space group P2(1)2(1)2(1) with cell dimensions a = 119.7 A, b = 119.7 A, c = 68.9 A and diffract to 2. 75A. The final model has good geometry and an R factor of 19.6% (Rfree= 22.8%). One tetramer is present in the asymmetric unit. In three of the four subunits, electron density for the disaccharide is visible. In the fourth only a monosaccharide is seen. In one subunit the reducing terminal sugar is recognized by the monosaccharide site; the nonreducing terminal sugar occupies a new site and the major solution conformation of the inter-sugar glycosidic linkage conformation is adopted. In contrast, in another subunit the non reducing terminal sugar sits in the so called monosaccharide binding site; the reducing terminal sugar adopts a different conformation about its inter-sugar glycosidic linkage in order for the methyl group to access a hydrophobic pocket. In the third subunit, electron density for both binding modes is observed. We demonstrate that an extended carbohydrate binding site is capable of binding the disaccharide in two distinct ways. These results provide an insight in to the balance of forces controlling protein carbohydrate interactions.
The influence of environmental temperature upon transmission of the cercariae of Echinostoma liei (Digenea: Echinostomatidae)

The survival and infectivity characteristics of the cercariae of Echinostoma liei are described for 6 different water temperatures in the range 12–40 °C. Cercarial survival steadily decreased with increasing temperature, the maximum survival time falling from 75 h at 12 °C to approximately 8 h at 40 °C. Changes in environmental temperature affected the infectivity even of freshly emitted cercariae but their most noticeable effect was upon the rate at which infectivity diminished with increasing cercarial age. Infectivity rose from zero at 12 °C to a maximum at 30 °C before declining to a low level at 40 °C. The transmission efficiency of the cercariae at each temperature was calculated as the ratio of the instantaneous per capita rates of mortality and infection respectively. The efficiency of transmission was high between 19 and 30 °C, suggesting that cercariae are well adapted for transmission at water temperatures likely to be encountered in natural habitats.
Measurement of lower-limb asymmetry in professional rugby league: a technical note describing the use of inertial measurement units

Background Quantifying lower-limb load and asymmetry during team sport match-play may be important for injury prevention and understanding performance. However, current analysis methods of lower-limb symmetry during match-play employ wearable microtechnology that may not be best suited to the task. A popular microtechnology is global positioning systems (GPS), which are torso worn. The torso location, and the summary workload measures calculated by GPS are not suited to the calculation of lower-limb load. Instead, research grade accelerometers placed directly on the lower-limb may provide better load information than GPS. This study proposes a new technique to quantify external mechanical load, and lower-limb asymmetry during on-field team sport play using inertial measurement units. Methods Four professional rugby league players (Age: 23.4 ± 3.1 years; Height: 1.89 ± 0.05 m; Mass: 107.0 ± 12.9 kg) wore two accelerometers, one attached to each foot by the boot laces, during match simulations. Custom Matlab (R2017b, The Mathworks Inc, Natick, MA) code was used to calculate total time, area under the curve (AUC), and percentage of time (%Time) spent in seven acceleration categories (negative to very high, <0 g to >16 g), as well as minimum and maximum acceleration during match simulations. Lower-limb AUC and %Time asymmetry was calculated using the Symmetry Angle Equation, which does not require normalization to a reference leg. Results The range of accelerations experienced across all participants on the left and right sides were 15.68–17.53 g, and 16.18–17.69 g, respectively. Clinically significant asymmetry in AUC and %Time was observed for all but one participant, and only in negative (<0 g) and very high accelerations (>16 g). Clinically significant AUC differences in very high accelerations ranged from 19.10%–26.71%. Clinically significant %Time differences in negative accelerations ranged from 12.65%–25.14%, and in very high accelerations from 18.59%–25.30%. All participants experienced the most AUC at very low accelerations (2–4 g), and the least AUC at very high accelerations (165.00–194.00 AU vs. 0.32–3.59 AU). The %Time results indicated that all participants spent the majority of match-play (73.82–92.06%) in extremely low (0–2 g) to low (4–6 g) acceleration intensities, and the least %Time in very high accelerations (0.01%–0.05%). Discussion A wearable located on the footwear to measure lower-limb load and asymmetry is feasible to use during rugby league match-play. The location of the sensor on the boot is suited to minimize injury risk occurring from impact to the sensor. This technique is able to quantify external mechanical load and detect inter limb asymmetries during match-play at the source of impact and loading, and is therefore likely to be better than current torso based methods. The results of this study may assist in preparing athletes for match-play, and in preventing injury.
Immortalizing Mesenchymal Stromal Cells from Aged Donors While Keeping Their Essential Features

Human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) obtained from aged patients are prone to senesce and diminish their differentiation potential, therefore limiting their usefulness for osteochondral regenerative medicine approaches or to study age-related diseases, such as osteoarthiritis (OA). MSCs can be transduced with immortalizing genes to overcome this limitation, but transduction of primary slow-dividing cells has proven to be challenging. Methods for enhancing transduction efficiency (such as spinoculation, chemical adjuvants, or transgene expression inductors) can be used, but several parameters must be adapted for each transduction system. In order to develop a transduction method suitable for the immortalization of MSCs from aged donors, we used a spinoculation method. Incubation parameters of packaging cells, speed and time of centrifugation, and valproic acid concentration to induce transgene expression have been adjusted. In this way, four immortalized MSC lines (iMSC#6, iMSC#8, iMSC#9, and iMSC#10) were generated. These immortalized MSCs (iMSCs) were capable of bypassing senescence and proliferating at a higher rate than primary MSCs. Characterization of iMSCs showed that these cells kept the expression of mesenchymal surface markers and were able to differentiate towards osteoblasts, adipocytes, and chondrocytes. Nevertheless, alterations in the CD105 expression and a switch of cell fate-commitment towards the osteogenic lineage have been noticed. In conclusion, the developed transduction method is suitable for the immortalization of MSCs derived from aged donors. The generated iMSC lines maintain essential mesenchymal features and are expected to be useful tools for the bone and cartilage regenerative medicine research.
The influence of fibre level and fat supplementation in expander‐processed diets on grower–finisher pig performance

Seventy-two entire male pigs (40.4 ± 1.0 kg) were used to study the effects of increasing crude fibre (CF) level in the diet and maintaining the digestible energy (DE) content of the diet by increasing dietary fat inclusion on pig performance and nutrient digestibility in a 3 × 2 factorial experiment. Productive performance and nutrient digestibility were determined in individually fed pigs offered expander-processed pelleted diets ad libitum containing three levels of CF (50, 60 and 70 g kg−1) and two levels of fat supplementation (25 and 50 g kg−1) until slaughter at 100 kg. All diets were expander processed at 105 °C for 5 s at 35 bar pressure having been previously conditioned at 85 °C for 5 s. All diets were formulated to have similar concentrations of digestible energy (13.5 MJ kg−1) and lysine (10 g kg−1) and the fat source was a 60:40 blend of tallow and palm oil. The increase in dietary CF level decreased (P < 0.05) the apparent digestibility of crude protein, organic matter (OM) and energy, while the inclusion of 50 g kg−1 fat decreased (P < 0.01) OM and energy digestibility. The inclusion of 50 g kg−1 fat in the diet increased (P < 0.01) ether extract digestibility at the 50 and 60 g kg−1 CF levels; however, fat inclusion had no effect at the 70 g kg−1 CF level. There was no CF × fat interaction in any growth criteria. The inclusion of 50 g kg−1 fat in the diet significantly reduced (P < 0.05) feed intake (2.28 versus 2.43 kg day−1, SEM 0.039), average daily gain (ADG; 0.877 versus 0.927 kg day−1, SEM 0.017) and DE conversion ratio (36.1 versus 35.0 MJ kg−1, SEM 0.40). The increase in dietary CF level decreased (linear, P < 0.05) feed intake (2.45 versus 2.32 versus 2.29 kg day−1, SEM 0.040), ADG (0.940 versus 0.896 versus 0.872 kg day−1, SEM 0.021) and kill-out proportion (740 versus 741 versus 730 g kg−1, SEM 3.6). In conclusion, increasing both the CF level and supplementary fat inclusion rate had a negative effect on pig growth performance and nutrient digestibility. © 2002 Society of Chemical Industry
Main causes of poor welfare in intensively reared dairy cows

Abstract The aim of this review is to summarise the main causes of poor welfare in intensively reared dairy cows. Intensive farming systems are considered, both from a structural and a managerial point of view, for their constraints that may limit animal welfare: possible physical activity; acceptable interactions with humans and other animals; feeding and watering, protection from climate, parasites, and diseases. The dairy farms managed according to the organic rules do not always guarantee, per se, better welfare conditions; organic or low input dairy farming needs to consider the right interaction among cattle breed and herd management, focusing on the actual quality of feedstuffs meet face cow requirements. The considered structural aspects evidence how special care must be given to the rest area (straw yard or cubicle); to the floors that should be not too hard or abrasive and not slippery; to the cubicle bedding material to ensure hygiene, softness, and dryness; to the feeding (and watering) area to reduce conflicts; to a microclimate control system, to avoid heat stress during summer time. The importance of proper management for animal welfare is evidenced for buildings and equipment, to have clean and comfortable stables and well functioning milking machines; nutritive and storage quality of feeds; diet suitability (energy, protein, physically efficient fibre, buffers etc.), in the different phases of a dairy cow’s life (dry period, close-up, transition, and lactation); feed distribution (frequency and time), and 24h availability. Special attention has to be paid to the social aspects, regarding both animal competition (stocking density, group size), and human/animal interactions (methods of management and manipulation). The interaction between welfare and health requires special attention. Poor welfare can cause immune depression, thus increasing the risk of disease. In turn, any disease that causes an inflammatory response may determine depression, anorexia, an increase in temperature, and metabolic pathways deviation, with a worsening of the overall sense of well-being.
ESFUERZO REPRODUCTIVO EN MOLUSCOS: UNA REVISIÓN REPRODUCTIVE EFFORT IN MOLLUSCS: A REVIEW

It was carried out an analysis of each one of the different indices proposed to estimate the reproductive effort in mollusks with the purpose of clarifying its pertinence and determination. Additionally, a synthesis of the various factors affecting the reproductive effort of mollusks as well as the different partitioning strategies of the assimilated energy was performed. Finally, it was examined the usefulness of the reproductive effort determination in the fields of ecology and applied physiology.
Wake Up and Smell the Roses: The Ecology and Evolution of Floral Scent

Floral scent constitutes an ancient and important channel of communication between flowering plants, their pollinators, and enemies. Fragrance is a highly complex component of floral phenotype, with dynamic patterns of emission and chemical composition. The information content of specific volatile compounds is highly context dependent, and scent can function in direct and indirect ways from landscape to intrafloral scales. Floral scent promotes specialization in plant–pollinator relationships through private channels of unusual compounds, unique ratios of more widespread compounds, or through multicomponent floral filters. Floral scent also promotes outcrossing and reproductive isolation through floral constancy, via appetitive conditioning and discrimination on the basis of diverse mechanisms, including pheromone mimicry, odor intensity, complexity, composition, and synergy with visual stimuli. Finally, floral scent is a sexual signal and should be subject to the same selective pressures and modes of sig.
A methodology to determine primary production and phytoplankton photosynthetic parameters from Fast Repetition Rate Fluorometry

Estimating the primary productivity of phytoplankton as they are mixed through the surface layer is often hampered by methodological or conceptual constraints. Fast Repetition Rate Fluorometry (FRRF) allows some of these constraints to be overcome by providing measurements of the instantaneous, depth-dependent rates of primary productivity of phytoplankton in situ. Data acquired by FRR fluorescence is used in this paper to determine the parameters of the photosynthesis‐irradiance curve and the instantaneous photosynthetic rates for phytoplankton from the mixed layer during a cruise in the Celtic Sea in May 2000. FRR fluorescence-based estimates of the initial slope of the photosynthesis‐light curve (� B ) ranged from 7.5 in well-mixed conditions to 12.7 g C (mol photons) � 1 m 2 (g Chl a) � 1 under stratified conditions. FRR fluorescence-based estimates of the light saturation parameter, Ek, were strongly correlated with the logarithm of the surface PAR. FRR fluorescence-based estimates of the Chl a-specific, light saturated photosynthesis rate (Pm B ) ranged from 1.4 to 2.8 g C (g Chl a) � 1 h � 1 . The FRRF determined values of Pm B were consistent with those measured using radiocarbon techniques, however, there were systematic differences
Enhancing Student Competency Models for Game-Based Learning with a Hybrid Stealth Assessment Framework

In recent years, game-based learning has shown significant promise for creating engaging and effective learning experiences. Developing models that can predict whether students will struggle with mastering certain concepts could guide adaptive support to assist students with mastering those concepts. Game-based learning environments offer significant potential for unobtrusively assessing student learning without interfering with gameplay through stealth assessment. Prior work on stealth assessment has focused on a single machine learning technique such as dynamic Bayesian networks or long short-term memory networks; however, a single modeling technique often does not guarantee the best predictive performance for all concepts of interest. In this paper, we present a hybrid data-driven approach to stealth assessment for predicting students’ mastery of concepts through interactions with a game-based learning environment for introductory genetics. Stealth assessment models utilize students’ observed gameplay behaviors using challenge-and session-based features to predict students’ learning outcomes on identified concepts. We present single-task and multi-task models for predicting students’ mastery of concepts and the results suggest that the hybrid stealth assessment framework outperforms individual models and holds significant potential for predicting student competencies.
Revised Type Locality and Distribution of the Data Deficient Chelodina kuchlingi and a Review of its Status as a Distinct Species

Abstract. The description of Chelodina kuchlingi was based on a single holotype with the type locality Kalumburu in the northern Kimberley, Western Australia. Over the last decade, C. kuchlingi was variously considered a valid species, or its validity was questioned because the accuracy of the type locality was questioned, or it was listed as synonym of Chelodina rugosa. Serum-immunological data published 45 yrs ago, suggesting a sister species status of the then still-undescribed species to C. rugosa, were recently corroborated by mitochondrial DNA technology. Accordingly, in the most recent International Union for Conservation of Nature Draft Red List assessment, C. kuchlingi is considered to represent a valid, Data Deficient species. A review of documents from the 1960s demonstrates that mix-ups of collection data of various turtle specimens occurred between their collection in the Kimberley in 1965 and 1966 and their accession in the Western Australian Museum 9–24 mo later. Three specimens of C. kuchlingi, including the holotype, were evidently collected in 1965 at Parry Creek in the eastern Kimberley. An additional C. kuchlingi specimen was collected at this location in 1974. Turtle surveys in the Kalumburu area since 1974 have not recorded C. kuchlingi. The type locality of Chelodina kuchlingi Cann 1997 is corrected accordingly and clarified as Parry Creek, lower Ord River floodplain, Kimberley, Western Australia (ICZN Recommend. 76A.2). The currently known distribution of C. kuchlingi is restricted to this site. Damming of the Ord River in the 1960s and 1970s and large-scale agricultural developments changed the hydrology of the floodplain and established an open channel connectivity close to the Victoria River catchment in the Northern Territory. Turtle collections and surveys in the Parry Creek area during the 21st Century have not detected C. kuchlingi and only recorded Chelodina walloyarrina and C. rugose–like specimens. Chelodina rugosa is widespread in the Northern Territory and Queensland but had never been recorded in the Kimberley prior to 2007. A targeted survey is urgently needed to investigate if a recent invasion by its common and widespread sister species is threatening the persistence of the rare and localized C. kuchlingi.
Modelling the early phase of the Belgian COVID-19 epidemic using a stochastic compartmental model and studying its implied future trajectories

Following the onset of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic throughout the world, a large fraction of the global population is or has been under strict measures of physical distancing and quarantine, with many countries being in partial or full lockdown. These measures are imposed in order to reduce the spread of the disease and to lift the pressure on healthcare systems. Estimating the impact of such interventions as well as monitoring the gradual relaxing of these stringent measures is quintessential to understand how resurgence of the COVID-19 epidemic can be controlled for in the future. In this paper we use a stochastic age-structured discrete time compartmental model to describe the transmission of COVID-19 in Belgium. Our model explicitly accounts for age-structure by integrating data on social contacts to (i) assess the impact of the lockdown as implemented on March 13, 2020 on the number of new hospitalizations in Belgium; (ii) conduct a scenario analysis estimating the impact of possible exit strategies on potential future COVID-19 waves. More specifically, the aforementioned model is fitted to hospital admission data, data on the daily number of COVID-19 deaths and serial serological survey data informing the (sero)prevalence of the disease in the population while relying on a Bayesian MCMC approach. Our age-structured stochastic model describes the observed outbreak data well, both in terms of hospitalizations as well as COVID-19 related deaths in the Belgian population. Despite an extensive exploration of various projections for the future course of the epidemic, based on the impact of adherence to measures of physical distancing and a potential increase in contacts as a result of the relaxation of the stringent lockdown measures, a lot of uncertainty remains about the evolution of the epidemic in the next months.
Antioxidant activity and Phytochemical analysis of Hyptis suaveolens (L.) Poit

INTRODUCTION Reactive oxygen species (ROS) is a term that encompasses all highly reactive, oxygen containing molecules including free radicals, which includes the hydroxyl radical, the superoxide anion radical, hydrogen peroxide, singlet oxygen, nitric oxide radical, hypochlorite radical and various lipid peroxides. All these are capable of reacting with membrane lipids, nucleic acids, proteins and enzymes and other small molecules resulting in cellular damage. To protect the cells and organ system of the body against ROS, humans have evolved a highly sophisticated and complex antioxidant protection system. It involves a variety of components both endogenous and exogenous in origin that function interactively and synergistically to neutralize free radicals and include nutrient derived antioxidants (Vitamin C, E , beta carotene and polyphenols), antioxidant enzymes, metal binding proteins and numerous other plant derived phytonutrients. The human body has multifaceted structure of natural enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant resistance, which counteracts the detrimental effects of free radicals and other oxidants. Substantial data indicate that food rich in antioxidants may be of chief significance in disease prevention. [1] Oxidative stress has been implicated in the pathogenesis of many human diseases like Alzheimer's , Parkinson's, neurodegenerative diseases, the pathologies caused by diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and cancer. It also mediates a wide range of renal impairments, from acute renal failure, obstructive nephropathy, hyperlipidemia, and glomerular damage to chronic renal failure. [2] Studies show that oxidative stress is increased along with increased lipid peroxidation and decrease in antioxidative defense in acute renal failure patients undergoing hemodialysis and urolithiasis. The positive role of Vitamin E was found to be synergistic with ascorbic acid to ameliorate oxidative stress. [3-4] In a study by Felix Grases et.al it was concluded that the antioxidant activity of herbal extracts could have an important role in avoidance of calcium oxalate monohydrate papillary calculi formation. [5-6] Several laboratories reported that oxalate causes renal tubular injury by increasing generation of free radicals. In a study by Sivagnanum et.al showed that Research Article