Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Screening of biocontrol bacteria against soft rot disease of Colocasia esculenta (L.) schott and its field application

Soft rot disease is a major pathogenic bacteria of Fuding areca taro and has caused serious losses. This study aims to screen biocontrol bacterial against soft rot disease. A total of 53 bacterial strains were isolated from the rhizosphere soil, nine of which exhibited good biocontrol effect against the pathogenic bacteria of soft rot disease as seen in antagonistic screening of biocontrol bacteria from corm in vitro. Strains were selected by physical and chemical experiments, biocontrol effect tests in vivo, molecular sequencing, morphological observation and field tests. Four strains including CAB-L005, CAB-L012, CAB-L014, and CAB-L022 exhibited strong antagonistic effects. On the basis of the sequence homology of 16S rRNA genes, the similarity between strain CAB-L005 and Bacillus tropicus was 100%, that between strain CAB-L012 and Bacillus subtilis was 99%, and that between strain CAB-L014 and Bacillus tequilensis was 100%, and similarity between strain CAB-L022 and Bacillus cereus was 100%. The isolated bacteria demonstrated good biocontrol effects in field experiments. In this study, four strains with good biocontrol application value were isolated and identified, providing a foundation for biocontrol against soft rot disease in areca taro.
Lingering Chukchi Sea sea ice and Chukchi Sea mean winds influence population age structure of euphausiids (krill) found in the bowhead whale feeding hotspot near Pt. Barrow, Alaska

Interannual variability in euphausiid (krill) abundance and population structure and associations of those measures with environmental drivers were investigated in an 11-year study conducted in late August–early September 2005–2015 in offshelf waters (bottom depth > 40 m) in Barrow Canyon and the Beaufort Sea just downstream of Distributed Biological Observatory site 5 (DBO5) near Pt. Barrow, Alaska. Statistically-significant positive correlations were observed among krill population structure (proportion of juveniles and adults), the volume of Late Season Melt Water (LMW), and late-spring Chukchi Sea sea ice extent. High proportions of juvenile and adult krill were seen in years with larger volumes of LMW and greater spring sea ice extents (2006, 2009, 2012–2014) while the converse, high proportions of furcilia, were seen in years with smaller volumes of LMW and lower spring sea ice extent (2005, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2015). These different life stage, sea ice and water mass regimes represent integrated advective responses to mean fall and/or spring Chukchi Sea winds, driven by prevailing atmospheric pressure distributions in the two sets of years. In years with high proportions of juveniles and adults, late-spring and preceding-fall winds were weak and variable while in years with high proportions of furcilia, late-spring and preceding-fall winds were strong, easterly and consistent. The interaction of krill life history with yearly differences in the northward transports of krill and water masses along with sea ice retreat determines the population structure of late-summer krill populations in the DBO5 region near Pt. Barrow. Years with higher proportions of mature krill may provide larger prey to the Pt. Barrow area bowhead whale prey hotspot. The characteristics of prey near Pt. Barrow is dependent on krill abundance and size, large-scale environmental forcing, and interannual variability in recruitment success of krill in the Bering Sea.
Identification of potential micro-messenger RNAs (miRNA–mRNA) interaction network of osteosarcoma

ABSTRACT Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most common primary malignant tumor in children and adolescents. Numerous studies have reported the importance of miRNA in OS. The purpose of this study is to predict potential biomarkers and new therapeutic targets for OS diagnosis and prognosis by analyzing miRNAs of OS plasma samples from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Data-sets were downloaded from the GEO and analyzed using R software. Different expressions of miRNAs (DE-miRNAs) in plasma and mRNAs (DE-mRNAs) in OS patients were identified. Funrich was used to predict the transcription factors and target genes of miRNAs. By comparing the target mRNAs and DE-mRNAs, the intersection mRNAs were identified. The intersection mRNAs were imported to perform Gene Ontology (GO) functional annotation and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis. MiRNA-mRNA regulatory network and a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network were constructed by using Cytoscape. Finally, a total of 164 DE-miRNAs, 256 DE-mRNAs, and 76 intersection mRNAs were identified. The top 10 TF of up- and down-regulated DE-miRNAs were also predicted. In addition, GO and KEGG analyses further revealed the intersection mRNAs. By constructing the miRNA–mRNA networks, we found miR-30d-5p, miR-17-5p, miR-98-5p, miR-301a-3p, and miR-30e-5p were the central hubs. COL1A1, COL1A2, MMP2, CDH11, COL4A1 etc. were predicted to be the key mRNA by constructing the PPI networks. Through a comprehensive bioinformatics analysis of miRNAs and mRNAs in OS, we explored the potential effective biomarkers and novel therapeutic targets for the diagnosis and prognosis of OS.
Solvent-Exfoliated and Functionalized Graphene with Assistance of Supercritical Carbon Dioxide

Graphite was successfully exfoliated into graphene by pyrene and another three derivatives (1-pyrenecarboxylic acid (PCA), 1-pyrenebutyric acid (PBA), and 1-pyrenamine (PA)) with the assistance of supercritical carbon dioxide (SC CO2) in this work. The resulting graphene was characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman spectra, and fluorescence spectra. High-quality and noncovalent functionalized single or few layer graphene were obtained. van der Waals corrected first-principles approach within density functional theory (vdW-DFT2) was used to investigate the interaction energy of different pyrene-derivatives on graphene and inside the two graphene. The results showed that pyrene and pyrene-derivatives can act as a “molecular wedge” to exfoliate graphene from graphite well. A further graphene/gold nanoparticle composite was also successfully obtained, which indicates that pyrene-derivatives firmly adsorbed on the surface of graphene can act.
State of the art review: coronary artery disease in patients with inflammatory bowel disease: mechanisms, prevalence, and outcomes

Abstract Extraintestinal disease manifestations of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), such as arthritis and uveitis, have been well described in the medical literature. However, there has been growing evidence suggesting an association between IBD and both coronary artery disease (CAD) and acute myocardial infarctions (AMI). In this critical review, the pathogenesis of proatherogenic inflammatory markers (CD40-CD40L, IL-6, and TNF-α) are summarised along with clinical evidence that supports the association of these makers with CAD. Moreover, clinical data are examined that suggest an increased risk of AMI and CAD in IBD patients along with recent analyses of in-hospital and post-MI outcomes of AMI in IBD patients. This comprehensive review summarises and expands upon our understanding of the growing association between both CAD and AMI in IBD patients that potentially identifies IBD as a risk factor for developing CAD.
Thermal Mixing Characteristics of Two Fluid Flows with Different Temperatures in a T-tube. Mixing Characteristics in a T-tube and Effect of a Downstream Bent Tube.

Thermal and nuclear power plants have many T-tubes where a hot fluid and a cold fluid flow into each other and mix. An optimally designed T-tube can be used to shorten mixing time which can lead to more compact plants. We have experimentally investigated the mixing characteristics of hot and cold fluid flows into a T-tube. This paper shows the mixing distance, an analogy between thermal and mass diffusion, and the optimum condition for rapid mixing. We propose a T-junction arrangement using a downstream bent tube as a mixing promoter. The experiments so far clarify that the bent tube can best enhance mixing when the branch tube in the T comes from the opposite direction to the bend. For example, at the velocity ratio u/U=1. the bent tube can reduce the mixing distance from 35D to 8D and still achieve sufficient mixing.
A ketogenic diet reduces mechanical allodynia and improves epidermal innervation in diabetic mice.

ABSTRACT Dietary interventions are promising approaches to treat pain associated with metabolic changes because they impact both metabolic and neural components contributing to painful neuropathy. Here, we tested whether consumption of a ketogenic diet could affect sensation, pain, and epidermal innervation loss in type 1 diabetic mice. C57Bl/6 mice were rendered diabetic using streptozotocin and administered a ketogenic diet at either three weeks (prevention) or nine weeks (reversal) of uncontrolled diabetes. We quantified changes in metabolic biomarkers, sensory thresholds, and epidermal innervation to assess impact on neuropathy parameters. Diabetic mice consuming ketogenic diet had normalized weight gain, reduced blood glucose, elevated blood ketones, and reduced hemoglobin-A1C levels. These metabolic biomarkers were also improved following nine weeks of diabetes followed by four weeks of a ketogenic diet. Diabetic mice fed a control chow diet developed rapid mechanical allodynia of the hind paw that was reversed within a week of consumption of a ketogenic diet in both prevention and reversal studies. Loss of thermal sensation was also improved by consumption of a ketogenic diet via normalized thermal thresholds. Finally, diabetic mice consuming a ketogenic diet had normalized epidermal innervation, including after nine weeks of uncontrolled diabetes and four weeks of consumption of the ketogenic diet. These results suggest that, in mice, a ketogenic diet can prevent and reverse changes in key metabolic biomarkers, altered sensation, pain and axon innervation of the skin. These results identify a ketogenic diet as a potential therapeutic intervention for patients with painful diabetic neuropathy and/or epidermal axon loss.
Understanding visual-spatial perceptual deficits in individuals with multiple sclerosis: an analysis of patient performance on the Hooper Visual Organization Test and Visual Form Discrimination

Abstract Purpose: Although the cognitive sequelae of multiple sclerosis have been recognized for more than four decades, the focus of research has been on studying the more common deficits of the disease, including those involving memory and information processing speed. Less understood and investigated are the visual-spatial perceptual disturbances of multiple sclerosis, which can be difficult to assess and interpret given the potential confounds associated with the physical problems and other cognitive disturbances of the disorder. Materials and methods: This study examined the visual-spatial perceptual deficits of multiple sclerosis in 40 participants diagnosed with this condition using two measures generally unaffected by the aforementioned confounds, the Hooper Visual Organization Test and Visual Form Discrimination. Results: Results revealed both measures to be sensitive to the impairments of multiple sclerosis but suggested that they are assessing somewhat different aspects of visual-spatial perception in this population, given their relationship with one another and with disease-related variables. Conclusions: In this light, findings indicate that a complete and accurate understanding of the visual-spatial perceptual sequelae of multiple sclerosis requires the administration of more than a single measure.
SSRIs: Applications in inflammatory lung disease and implications for COVID‐19

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) have anti‐inflammatory properties that may have clinical utility in treating severe pulmonary manifestations of COVID‐19. SSRIs exert anti‐inflammatory effects at three mechanistic levels: (a) inhibition of proinflammatory transcription factor activity, including NF‐κB and STAT3; (b) downregulation of lung tissue damage and proinflammatory cell recruitment via inhibition of cytokines, including IL‐6, IL‐8, TNF‐α, and IL‐1β; and (c) direct suppression inflammatory cells, including T cells, macrophages, and platelets. These pathways are implicated in the pathogenesis of COVID‐19. In this review, we will compare the pathogenesis of lung inflammation in pulmonary diseases including COVID‐19, ARDS, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), describe the anti‐inflammatory properties of SSRIs, and discuss the applications of SSRIS in treating COVID‐19‐associated inflammatory lung disease.
Impact of Treatment for Nasal Cavity Disorders on Sleep Quality: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Objective To determine the impact of treatment for patients with nasal obstruction secondary to allergic rhinitis (AR) and nasal septal deviation (NSD) on sleep quality. Data Sources Primary studies were identified though PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science. Review Methods A systematic review was performed by querying databases for articles published through August 2020. Studies were included that reported on objective sleep parameters (apnea-hypopnea index) and sinonasal and sleep-specific patient-reported outcome measures: Rhinoconjunctivitis Quality of Life Questionnaire, Nasal Obstruction Symptom Evaluation, Epworth Sleepiness Scale (EpSS), and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Results The database search yielded 1414 unique articles, of which 28 AR and 7 NSD studies were utilized for meta-analysis. A total of 9037 patients (8515 with AR, 522 with NSD) were identified with a mean age of 35.0 years (35.3 for AR, 34.0 for NSD). Treatment for AR and NSD significantly improved subjective sleep quality. For AR, the EpSS mean difference was −1.5 (95% CI, –2.4 to –0.5; P = .002) and for the PSQI, –1.7 (95% CI, –2.1 to –1.2; P < .00001). For NSD, the EpSS mean difference was −3.2 (95% CI, –4.2 to –2.2; P < .00001) and for the PSQI, –3.4 (95% CI, –6.1 to –0.6; P = .02). Conclusion Subjective sleep quality significantly improved following treatment for AR and NSD. There were insufficient data to demonstrate that objective metrics of sleep quality similarly improved.
Structure-to-Property Relationships in Non-Platinum Group Fuel Cell Catalysts: Examination of Length Scale Correlations

Fuel cells require catalysis to oxidize hydrogen and reduce oxygen at the anode and cathode, respectively. Current fuel cells rely on platinum as a catalyst, which is expensive and is a fundamentally limited resource [1,2]. Because of this, there is a significant amount of research being directed toward development of non-platinum group metal based catalysts. Nanostructured ironnitrogen-carbon materials are active catalysts that have the potential to replace platinum as the cathode catalyst. However, targeted research on these materials is limited by a lack of understanding of how the physical structure and chemical composition of catalysts fundamentally contribute to their overall performance.
Niastella soli sp. nov., isolated from rhizospheric soil of a persimmon tree.

A Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, motile and rod-shaped novel bacterial strain, designated MAH-29T, was isolated from rhizospheric soil of a persimmon tree. The colonies were light pink coloured, smooth, spherical and 0.1-0.8 mm in diameter when grown on Reasoner's 2A (R2A) agar for 2 days. Strain MAH-29T was able to grow at 20-37 °C, at pH 5.0-8.5 and at 0-2.0 % NaCl. Cell growth occurred on nutrient agar and R2A agar. The strain was positive in both oxidase and catalase tests. According to the 16S rRNA gene sequence comparisons, the isolate was identified as a member of the genus Niastella and was closely related to Niastella vici DJ57T (97.7 % similarity), Niastella koreensis GR20-10T (97.1 %) and Niastella yeongjuensis GR20-13T (97.0 %). Strain MAH-29T has a draft genome size of 8 876 333 bp (31 contigs), annotated with 6920 protein-coding genes, 61 tRNA and four rRNA genes. The average nucleotide identity and digital DNA-DNA hybridization values between strain MAH-29T and three closely related type strains were in the range of 78.2-83.2 % and 22.1-27.0 %, respectively. The genomic DNA G+C content was 43.8 mol%. The predominant isoprenoid quinone was menaquinone 7. The major fatty acids were identified as iso-C15:0, iso-C15:1 G and iso-C17:0 3OH. On the basis of DNA-DNA hybridization results, genotypic analysis and chemotaxonomic and physiological data, strain MAH-29T represents a novel species within the genus Niastella, for which the name Niastella soli sp. nov. is proposed, with MAH-29T (=KACC 19969T=CGMCC 1.16606T) as the type strain.
Glial-Specific Deletion of Med12 Results in Rapid Hearing Loss via Degradation of the Stria Vascularis

Mediator protein complex subunit 12 (Med12) is a core component of the basal transcriptional apparatus and plays a critical role in the development of many tissues. Mutations in Med12 are associated with X-linked intellectual disability syndromes and hearing loss; however, its role in nervous system function remains undefined. Here, we show that temporal conditional deletion of Med12 in astrocytes in the adult CNS results in region-specific alterations in astrocyte morphology. Surprisingly, behavioral studies revealed rapid hearing loss after adult deletion of Med12 that was confirmed by a complete abrogation of auditory brainstem responses. Cellular analysis of the cochlea revealed degeneration of the stria vascularis, in conjunction with disorganization of basal cells adjacent to the spiral ligament and downregulation of key cell adhesion proteins. Physiologic analysis revealed early changes in endocochlear potential, consistent with strial-specific defects. Together, our studies reveal that Med12 regulates auditory function in the adult by preserving the structural integrity of the stria vascularis. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Mutations in Mediator protein complex subunit 12 (Med12) are associated with X-linked intellectual disability syndromes and hearing loss. Using temporal-conditional genetic approaches in CNS glia, we found that loss of Med12 results in severe hearing loss in adult animals through rapid degeneration of the stria vascularis. Our study describes the first animal model that recapitulates hearing loss identified in Med12-related disorders and provides a new system in which to examine the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms of Med12 function in the adult nervous system.
A Critical Systematic Review of Developing Aptasensors for Diagnosis and Detection of Diabetes Biomarkers

Abstract Diabetes mellitus is known as an epidemic problem of public health in worldwide. According to the reports of International Diabetes Federation, the global number of diabetic adults has been growing annually. Unfortunately, millions of diabetes cases may remain undiagnosed every year. Unfortunately, the glucose level of blood can be fluctuated by lifestyle. So, development of reliable, simple and fast response diagnostic methods is urgently required. Aptamer-based sensors have been recently developed as a sensitive and fast method for the diagnosis and detection of diabetes. We systematically checked the scientific literature including studies related to aptasensors as a diagnostic tool for diabetes. Many electronic databases such as Google Scholar, Scopus, PubMed and Science Direct were searched up to 2020. The present study obviously demonstrates important and unavoidable role of aptasensors as a potential technique for the diagnosis of diabetes. Different aptasenosrs such as optical, mass-related, microfluidic, and electrochemical aptasenors were successfully designed for diagnosis of diabetic biomarkers in desired range which is necessary for diagnosis or pre-diagnosis of diabetes. Although the introduced aptasensors were interestingly useful for detection of biomarkers in biological samples, but some defects may limit the incorporation of aptasensors, especially optical, mass-related, and microfluidic types, and lateral flow strips with point-of-care test (POCT) method which is necessary for self-controlling the diabetes. The results obviously demonstrate that electrochemical aptasensors, specially label-free types, due to the unbelievable sensitivity and easy to fabrication can be a promising methods for designing the POCT chips to diagnosis the diabetic biomarkers. Graphical Abstract Schematic illustration of application of aptasensors for detection of important diabetes biomarkers such as insulin, HbA1c, glycated albumin (GA), visceral adipose tissue-derived serpin (vaspin), retinol binding protein 4 (RBP4) and nicotinamide phosphoribosyl transferase (Nampt).
Fabrication and Characterization of Silk Fibroin-Based Nanofibrous Scaffolds Supplemented with Gelatin for Corneal Tissue Engineering

Tissue engineering is a promising approach to overcome the severe worldwide shortage of healthy donor corneas. In this work, we have developed a silk-gelatin composite scaffold using electrospinning and permeation techniques to achieve the properties comparable to cornea analog. In particular, we present the fabrication and comparative evaluation of the novel gelatin sheets consisting of silk fibroin nanofibers, which are prepared using silk fibroin (SF) (in formic acid) and SF (in aqueous) electrospun scaffolds, for its suitability as corneal stromal analogs. All the fabricated samples were treated with ethanol vapor (T) to physically crosslink the silk nanofibers. Micro/nano-scale features of the fabricated scaffolds were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy micrographs. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy revealed characteristic peaks of polymeric functional groups and modifications upon ethanol vapor treatment. Transparency of the scaffolds was determined using UV-visible spectra. Among all the fabricated samples, the gelatin-permeated SF (in formic acid; T) scaffold showed the highest level of transparency, i.e., 77.75 ± 2.3%, which is similar to that of the native cornea (∼70%–90% [variable with age group]) with healthy acute vision. Contact angle of the samples was studied to estimate the hydrophilicity of the scaffolds. All the scaffolds except non-treated SF (in aqueous; NT) were found to be significantly stable up to 14 days when incubated in phosphate buffered saline at 37°C. Treated samples showed significantly better stability, both physically and microscopically, in comparison to nontreated samples. Proliferation and viability assays of rabbit corneal fibroblast cells (SIRC) and mouse fibroblast cells (L929 RFP) when cultured on fabricated scaffolds revealed remarkable cellular compatibility with gelatin-permeated SF (in formic acid; T) scaffolds compared to SF (in aqueous; T). Unlike other reports in the existing literature, this work presents the design and development of a nanofibrous silk-gelatin composite that exhibits acceptable transparency, cellular biocompatibility, as well as improved mechanical stability comparable to that of native cornea. Therefore, we anticipate that the fabricated novel scaffold is likely to be a good candidate for corneal tissue construct. Moreover, among the fabricated scaffolds, the outcomes depict gelatin-permeated SF (in formic acid; T) composite scaffold to be a better candidate as a corneal stromal analog that carries properties of both the silk and gelatin, i.e., optimal transparency, better stability, and enhanced cytocompatibility.