Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Interferon-γ and Hypoxia Priming Have Limited Effect on the miRNA Landscape of Human Mesenchymal Stromal Cells-Derived Extracellular Vesicles

Mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC)-based cell therapy has received great interest in regenerative medicine. Priming the cells during the culture phase can improve their efficacy and/or survival after injection. The literature suggests that MSC extracellular vesicles (EV) can recapitulate a substantial part of the beneficial effects of the cells they originate from, and that micro-RNAs (miRNAs) are important players in EV biological action. Here, our aim was to determine if two classical priming methods of MSC, interferon-gamma (IFNγ) and hypoxia (HYP), could modify their EV miRNA content. Human bone marrow MSCs (BM-MSCs) from five healthy donors were cultured with IFNγ or in HYP or in control (CONT) conditions. The conditioned media were collected after 48 h in serum-free condition and EV were isolated by ultracentrifugation. Total RNA was isolated, pools of CONT, IFN, and HYP cDNA were prepared, and a miRNA profiling was performed using RT-qPCR. Then, miRNAs were selected based on their detectability and measured on each individual EV sample. Priming had no effect on EV amount or size distribution. A set of 81 miRNAs was detected in at least one of the pools of EVs. They were measured on each individual sample; 41 miRNAs were detected in all samples. The principal component analysis (PCA) failed to discriminate the groups. HYP induced a significant decrease in EV hsa-miR-34a-3p content and IFN induced a significant increase in five miRNAs (hsa-miR-25-3p, hsa-miR-106a-5p, hsa-miR-126-3p, hsa-miR-451a, and hsa-miR-665). Taken together, we found only limited alterations in the miRNA landscape of MSC EV with a high inter-individual variability.
Photocatalytic degradation of phenol in aqueous titanium dioxide dispersions

The results of a study of photocatalytic degradation of phenol using aqueous oxygenated TiO2 (anatase) suspensions in a batch Pyrex photoreactor are reported. The influence on the photodegradation rate of various parameters as pH, phenol and TiO2 content, oxygen partial pressure, anions present in the dispersions was investigated. A complete oxidation of phenol was observed. Intermediate compounds, catechol and quinone, were detected. It was observed that the photodegradation also proceeded with sunlight radiation. A mechanistic and kinetic model, which accounts for the results obtained, is given. Likely reasons for inactivity of the rutile modification for this reaction are also given.
Methods for Analysis of Aquatic Humic Substances

Methods designed for analysis of aquatic humic substances are summarized and compared. A need to evaluate just the concentration of true humic substances, rather than summary parameters, characterizing dissolved organic substances such as COD, DOC, TOC, and others is stressed. Possible future trends in the studies of dissolved humic substances are touched on.
Genetic Factors Associated With Nodulation and Nitrogen Derived From Atmosphere in a Middle American Common Bean Panel

Among grain legume crops, common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) are considered to have poor biological nitrogen (N2) fixation (BNF) capabilities although variation in N2 fixing capabilities exists within the species. The availability of genetic panel varying in BNF capacity and a large-scale single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data set for common bean provided an opportunity to discover genetic factors associated with N2 fixation among genotypes in the Middle American gene pool. Using nodulation and percentage of N2-derived from atmosphere (%NDFA) data collected from field trials, at least 11 genotypes with higher levels of BNF capacity were identified. Genome-wide association studies (GWASs) detected both major and minor effects that control these traits. A major nodulation interval at Pv06:28.0–28.27 Mbp was discovered. In this interval, the peak SNP was located within a small GTPase that positively regulates cellular polarity and growth of root hair tips. Located 20 kb upstream of this peak SNP is an auxin-responsive factor AUX/indole acetic auxin (IAA)-related gene involved in auxin transportation during root nodulation. For %NDFA, nitrate (NO3−) transporters, NRT1:2 and NRT1.7 (Pv02:8.64), squamosa promoter binding transcriptome factor (Pv08:28.42), and multi-antimicrobial extrusion protein (MATE) efflux family protein (Pv06:10.91) were identified as candidate genes. Three additional QTLs were identified on chromosomes Pv03:5.24, Pv09:25.89, and Pv11: 32.89 Mbp. These key candidate genes from both traits were integrated with previous results on N2 fixation to describe a BNF pathway.
Acupuncture vs. Pharmacological Prophylaxis of Migraine: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials

Introduction: Migraine is a chronic paroxymal neurological disorder characterized by attacks of moderate to severe headache and reversible neurological and systemic symptoms. Treatment of migraine includes acute therapies, that aim to reduce the intensity of pain of each attack, and preventive therapies that should decrease the frequency of headache recurrence. The objective of this systematic review was to assess the efficacy and safety of acupuncture for the prophylaxis of episodic or chronic migraine in adult patients compared to pharmacological treatment. Methods: We included randomized-controlled trials published in western languages that compared any treatment involving needle insertion (with or without manual or electrical stimulation) at acupuncture points, pain points or trigger points, with any pharmacological prophylaxis in adult (≥18 years) with chronic or episodic migraine with or without aura according to the criteria of the International Headache Society. Results: Nine randomized trials were included encompassing 1,484 patients. At the end of intervention we found a small reduction in favor of acupuncture for the number of days with migraine per month: (SMD: −0.37; 95% CI −1.64 to −0.11), and for response rate (RR: 1.46; 95% CI 1.16–1.84). We found a moderate effect in the reduction of pain intensity in favor of acupuncture (SMD: −0.36; 95% CI −0.60 to −0.13), and a large reduction in favor of acupuncture in both the dropout rate due to any reason (RR 0.39; 95% CI 0.18 to 0.84) and the dropout rate due to adverse event (RR 0.26; 95% CI 0.09 to 0.74). Quality of evidence was moderate for all these primary outcomes. Results at longest follow-up confirmed these effects. Conclusions: Based on moderate certainty of evidence, we conclude that acupuncture is mildly more effective and much safer than medication for the prophylaxis of migraine.
Physics and chemistry of silicon wafer bonding investigated by infrared absorption spectroscopy

Silicon wafer bonding is achieved by joining two particle‐free silicon wafers and annealing to elevated temperatures (∼1100 °C). We have used multiple internal transmission infrared absorption spectroscopy to probe the interface between the wafers upon initial joining and also during subsequent annealing steps. For atomically flat hydrophobic wafers (H passivated), we observe a pronounced shift in the Si–H stretching frequency due to the physical interaction (van der Waals attraction) that occurs when the surfaces come into intimate contact. The hydrogen eventually disappears at high temperatures (1000 °C) and Si–Si bonds are formed between the two surfaces. For hydrophilic wafers (oxide passivated), we initially observe three to five monolayers of water at the interface (providing the initial attraction through H bonding), as well as the presence of hydroxyl groups that terminate the oxide at low temperature. Upon moderate heating (<400 °C), the water trapped at the interface dissociates and leads to the.
Analysis of body gestures in anger expression and evaluation in android robot

ABSTRACT Recent studies in human–human interaction (HHI) have revealed the propensity of negative emotional expression to initiate affiliating functions which are beneficial to the expresser and also help fostering cordiality and closeness amongst interlocutors during conversation. Effort in human–robot interaction has also been devoted to furnish robots with the expression of both positive and negative emotions. However, only a few have considered body gestures in context with the dialogue act functions conveyed by the emotional utterances. This study aims on furnishing robots with humanlike negative emotional expression, specifically anger-based body gestures roused by the utterance context. In this regard, we adopted a multimodal HHI corpus for the study, and then analyzed and established predominant gestures types and dialogue acts associated with anger-based utterances in HHI. Based on the analysis results, we implemented these gesture types in an android robot, and carried out a subjective evaluation to investigate their effects on the perception of anger expression in utterances with different dialogue act functions. Results showed significant effects of the presence of gesture on the anger degree perception. Findings from this study also revealed that the functional content of anger-based utterances plays a significant role in the choice of the gesture accompanying such utterances. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT
Effect of Limestone Particle Size and Potassium Supplementation on Growth Performance, Blood Physiology, and Breast Muscle Myopathy of Male Broiler Chickens

The experiment investigated the effects of limestone particle size and dietary potassium (K) on live performance, blood physiology, and muscle myopathies in broilers raised to 35 days of age. A total of 384 Ross male broilers were placed in 24 floor pens and fed four diets during the starter (0–16 days of age) and grower (17–33 days of age) periods containing two limestone particle sizes (fine: 0.2 mm and coarse: 0.9 mm), and amended with either 0% basal K (K–) or 0.2% added dietary K (K+) as potassium carbonate to complete the 2 × 2 factorial arrangement. Live performance was measured from 1–33 days of age. Blood physiology, woody breast (WB), and white striping (WS) scores were measured at 35 days of age. The K+ dietary treatment reduced (P < 0.05) feed intake and BWG when compared to K– during the starter and grower period. The K+ dietary treatment decreased blood Na (mmol/L), blood glucose (mg/dl), ionized blood Ca (mg/dl), TCO2 (mmol/L), blood HCO3 (mmol/L), and base excess in extracellular fluid (mmol/L) when compared to K– birds of similar body weight at 35 days of age (P ≤ 0.05). Fine limestone diets tended to reduce WB scores (3.0 vs. 2.59) when compared to coarse limestone diets at 35 days of age (P = 0.08). This study demonstrated that using 0.2% of K as potassium carbonate did not negatively affect FCR even though FI and BWG were reduced. Furthermore, fine limestone has the potential to reduce WB in breast muscle tissues; however, further research is needed to confirm these outcomes.
Clinical Epigenetics of Neuroendocrine Tumors: The Road Ahead

Neuroendocrine tumors, or NETs, are cancer originating in neuroendocrine cells. They are mostly found in the gastrointestinal tract or lungs. Functional NETs are characterized by signs and symptoms caused by the oversecretion of hormones and other substances, but most NETs are non-functioning and diagnosis in advanced stages is common. Thus, novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies are warranted. Epigenetics may contribute to refining the diagnosis, as well as to identify targeted therapy interfering with epigenetic-sensitive pathways. The goal of this review was to discuss the recent advancement in the epigenetic characterization of NETs highlighting their role in clinical findings.
Elevated Contribution of Low Nucleic Acid Prokaryotes and Viral Lysis to the Prokaryotic Community Along the Nutrient Gradient From an Estuary to Open Ocean Transect

Prokaryotes represent the largest living biomass reservoir in aquatic environments and play a crucial role in the global ocean. However, the factors that shape the abundance and potential growth rate of the ecologically distinct prokaryotic subgroups [i.e., high nucleic acid (HNA) and low nucleic acid (LNA) cells] along varying trophic conditions in the ocean remain poorly understood. This study conducted a series of modified dilution experiments to investigate how the abundance and potential growth rate of HNA and LNA prokaryotes and their regulating factors (i.e., protozoan grazing and viral lysis) change along a cross-shore nutrient gradient in the northern South China Sea. The results showed that the abundance of both HNA and LNA cells was significantly positively correlated with the abundance of heterotrophic nanoflagellates and viruses, whereas only HNA abundance exhibited a significant positive correlation with nutrient level. With a decreasing nutrient concentration, the potential growth rate of the HNA subgroup declined significantly, while that of the LNA subgroup was significantly enhanced, leading to an elevated relative potential growth rate of the LNA to HNA subgroup under decreasing nutrient levels. Furthermore, our data revealed different regulatory roles of protozoan grazing and viral lysis on the HNA and LNA subgroups, with HNA suffering higher mortality pressure from grazing than from lysis in contrast to LNA, which experienced equivalent pressures. As the nutrient levels declined, the relative contribution of lysis to the mortality of the HNA subgroup increased significantly, in contrast to the insignificant change in that of the LNA subgroup. Our results indicated the elevated role of LNA cells in the prokaryotic community and the enhanced viral lysis pressure on the total prokaryotes under oligotrophic conditions. This implies a weakened efficiency of carbon cycling within the microbial loop and enhanced viral lysis to shunt more carbon and energy flow in the future ocean, in which oligotrophication will be strengthened due to global warming.
Immunoregulatory Cells in Myasthenia Gravis

Myasthenia gravis (MG) is a T cell-dependent, B-cell mediated autoimmune disease caused by antibodies against the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor or other components of the post-synaptic muscle endplate at the neuromuscular junction. These specific antibodies serve as excellent biomarkers for diagnosis, but do not adequately substitute for clinical evaluations to predict disease severity or treatment response. Several immunoregulatory cell populations are implicated in the pathogenesis of MG. The immunophenotype of these populations has been well-characterized in human peripheral blood. CD4+FoxP3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) are functionally defective in MG, but there is a lack of consensus on whether they show numerical perturbations. Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) have also been explored in the context of MG. Adoptive transfer of CD4+FoxP3+ Tregs or MDSCs suppresses ongoing experimental autoimmune MG (EAMG), a rodent model of MG, suggesting a protective role of both populations in this disease. An imbalance between follicular Tregs and follicular T helper cells is found in untreated MG patients, correlating with disease manifestations. There is an inverse correlation between the frequency of circulating IL-10–producing B cells and clinical status in MG patients. Taken together, both functional and numerical defects in various populations of immunoregulatory cells in EAMG and human MG have been demonstrated, but how they relate to pathogenesis and whether these cells can serve as biomarkers of disease activity in humans deserve further exploration.
Biological Maturity Status in Elite Youth Soccer Players: A Comparison of Pragmatic Diagnostics With Magnetic Resonance Imaging

The influence of biological maturity status (BMS) on talent identification and development within elite youth soccer is critically debated. During adolescence, maturity-related performance differences within the same age group may cause greater chances of being selected for early maturing players. Therefore, coaches need to consider players' BMS. While standard methods for assessing BMS in adolescents are expensive and time-consuming imaging techniques (i.e., X-ray and MRI), there also exist more pragmatic procedures. This study aimed to evaluate commonly used methods to assess BMS within a highly selected sample of youth soccer players. A total of N = 63 elite male soccer players (U12 and U14) within the German Soccer Association's talent promotion program completed a test battery assessing BMS outcomes. Utilizing MRI diagnostics, players' skeletal age (SAMRI) was determined by radiologists and served as the reference method. Further commonly used methods included skeletal age measured by an ultrasound device (SAUS), the maturity offset (MOMIR), and the percentage of adult height (PAHKR). The relation of these alternative BMS outcomes to SAMRI was examined using different perspectives: performing bivariate correlation analyses (1), modeling BMS as a latent variable (BMSlat) based on the multiple alternative diagnostics (2), and investigating individual differences in agreement (3). (1) Correlations of SAMRI and the further BMS variables ranked from r = 0.80 to r = 0.84 for the total sample and were lower for U12 (0.56 ≤ r ≤ 0.66), and U14 (0.61 ≤ r ≤ 0.74) (2). The latent structural equation modeling (SEM) (R2 = 51%) revealed a significant influence on BMSlat for MOMIR (β = 0.51, p <0.05). The additional contribution of PAHKR (β = 0.27, p = 0.06) and SAUS (β = −0.03, p = 0.90) was rather small (3). The investigation of individual differences between the reference method and alternative diagnostics indicated a significant bias for MOMIR (p <0.01). The results support the use of economical and time-efficient methods for assessing BMS within elite youth soccer. Bivariate correlation analyses as well as the multivariate latent variable approach highlight the measures' usefulness. However, the observed individual level differences for some of the utilized procedures led to the recommendation for practitioners to use at least two alternative assessment methods in order to receive more reliable information about players' BMS within the talent promotion process.
Anti-FIM and Anti-FHA Antibodies Inhibit Bordetella pertussis Growth and Reduce Epithelial Cell Inflammation Through Bacterial Aggregation

The pertussis vaccination is highly recommended for infants, children, and pregnant women. Despite a high coverage of vaccination, pertussis continues to be of public health concern as a re-emerging infectious disease. The mechanism by which vaccine-elicited anti-pertussis antibodies mediate direct bactericidal effects is poorly understood. In this study, we showed that the interaction of B. pertussis with A549 epithelial cells induce release of biological factors which enhance bacteria growth. Complement-depleted antisera from vaccine-immunized guinea pigs or monoclonal antibodies targeting FHA and FIM mediate bacteria aggregation and elicit bactericidal effects. Our in vitro results indicated that aggregation of bacteria through anti-FIM and anti-FHA specific antibodies is one of the major biological mechanisms to clear bacterial infections and restore epithelial cell survival in vitro. Our data also indicates that the anti-pertussis antibodies reduce secretion of proinflammatory chemokines and cytokines by preventing interaction of B. pertussis with host cells. The results of this study not only demonstrate mechanism of action of anti-FIM and anti-FHA antibodies, but also opens translational applications for potential therapeutic approaches or development of analytical assays such as in vitro potency assays.
Anisodamine Maintains the Stability of Intervertebral Disc Tissue by Inhibiting the Senescence of Nucleus Pulposus Cells and Degradation of Extracellular Matrix via Interleukin-6/Janus Kinases/Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 3 Pathway

Objectives: Anisodamine (ANI) has been used to treat a variety of diseases. However, the study of ANI in intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD) is unclear. This study investigated the effects of ANI on degenerative nucleus pulposus cells (NPCs) and IVDD rats, and its possible mechanisms. Methods: Human nucleus pulposus cells (HNPCs) were treated with IL-1β (20 ng/ml) to simulate IVDD, and an IVDD rat model was constructed. IL-1β-induced HNPCs were treated with different concentrations (10, 20, or 40 μM) of ANI, and IVDD rats were also treated with ANI (1 mg/kg). Results: ANI treatment significantly reduced the apoptosis, caspase-3 and SA-β-gal activities, and p53 and p21 proteins expression, while promoted telomerase activity and aggrecan and collagen II synthesis in IL-1β-induced HNPCs. Moreover, the introduction of ANI inhibited the expression of IL-6, phosphorylation of JAK and STAT3, and nuclear translocation of p-STAT3 in Degenerated HNPCs. Additionally, the application of ANI abolished the effects of IL-6 on apoptosis, SA-β-gal and telomerase activity, and the expression of p53, p21, aggrecan and collagen II proteins in degenerated HNPCs. Simultaneously, ANI treatment enhanced the effects of AG490 (inhibitor of JAK/STAT3 pathway) on IL-1β-induced apoptosis, senescence and ECM degradation in HNPCs. Furthermore, ANI treatment markedly inhibited the apoptosis and senescence in the nucleus pulposus of IVDD rats, while promoted the synthesis of aggrecan and collagen II. ANI treatment obviously inhibited JAK and STAT3 phosphorylation and inhibited nuclear translocation of p-STAT3 in IVDD rats. Conclusion: ANI inhibited the senescence and ECM degradation of NPCs by regulating the IL-6/JAK/STAT3 pathway to improve the function of NPCs in IVDD, which may provide new ideas for the treatment of IVDD.
A Key Node Optimization Scheme for Public Bicycles Based on Wavefront Theory

Considering the functional attributes of public bicycle outlets, users’ travel destinations and travel distances, this paper proposes a key node optimization scheme for urban public bicycle networks based on the combination of key nodes and wavefront theory. First analyze the net wave surface flow during peak hours to determine key nodes, then schedule or add nodes to achieve normal diversion in the area, and finally introduce betweenness indicators to evaluate the diversion effect. Through an example analysis of the operation data of a city’s public bicycle system, the research results show that the optimization scheme can better meet the dynamic needs of users of the public bicycle system, improve the user’s rental experience, increase user stickiness, and ensure maximum revenue and operating efficiency. It can provide a theoretical basis for the reasonable dispatch of public bicycles at the outlets.