Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Arthropod dark taxa provide new insights into diversity responses to bark beetle infestations.

Natural disturbances are increasing around the globe, also impacting protected areas. Although previous studies have indicated that natural disturbances result in mainly positive effects on biodiversity, these analyses mostly focused on a few well established taxonomic groups, and thus uncertainty remains regarding the comprehensive impact of natural disturbances on biodiversity. Using Malaise traps and meta-barcoding, we studied a broad range of arthropod taxa, including dark and cryptic taxa, along a gradient of bark beetle disturbance severities in five European national parks. We identified order-level community thresholds of disturbance severity and classified Barcode Index Numbers (BINs) (a cluster system for DNA sequences, where each cluster corresponds to a species) as negative or positive disturbance indicators. Negative indicator BINs decreased above thresholds of low to medium disturbance severity (20-30% of trees killed), whereas positive indicator BINs benefited from high disturbance severity (76-98%). BINs allocated to a species name contained nearly as many positive as negative disturbance indicators, but dark and cryptic taxa, particularly Diptera and Hymenoptera in our data, contained higher numbers of negative disturbance indicator BINs. Analyses of changes in the richness of BINs showed variable responses of arthropods to disturbance severity at lower taxonomic levels, whereas no significant signal was detected at the order level due to the compensatory responses of the underlying taxa. We conclude that the analyses of dark taxa can offer new insights into biodiversity responses to disturbances. Our results suggest considerable potential for forest management to foster arthropod diversity, for example by maintaining both closed-canopy forests (>70% cover) and open forests (<30% cover) on the landscape. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Efficacy and safety of Shumian capsules in treating insomnia

Abstract Background: It is known to all that the incidence of insomnia is becoming higher and higher with the increase of people's life stress. To some extent, it has brought about bad effects on people's life, work, study, and health, such as mental exhaustion, low work efficiency, and mood irritability. Now there are medications and non-medications methods for insomnia. As one of the treatments for insomnia, western medicine is to prolong the sleeping time and improve the anxious mood. However, taking western medicine to treat insomnia can also be accompanied by some adverse reactions at the same time, such as drug dependence, an allergic reaction, and so on. Traditional Chinese medicine therapy is based on syndrome differentiation and holistic concept. Shumian capsules (SM) are a kind of proprietary Chinese medicine for insomnia, which have the effect of relieving depression and calming the mind. But there are no studies on the efficacy and safety of SM in the treatment of insomnia. Therefore, I will provide a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy and safety of SM for insomnia. Methods: All the studies searched were from PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, and WanFang databases, and the studies types included in the analysis were all randomized controlled trials. All the retrieval contents were completed independently by 2 researchers, and a third reviewer would be involved when there existed any disagreement. The eligible studies were screened out according to the inclusion criteria and exclusion criteria, and some useful information was extracted and made into a feature table, including the year of the included studies, the age, and disease course of the participants in the studies and intervention methods, etc. Cochrane risk-of-bias tool was used to evaluate the quality of literature and meta-analysis was conducted by RevMan 5.4 software. Results: A total of 9 articles including 709 participants were included in the study after screening out. The primary outcomes of statistical analysis were cure rate and total effective rate, while the secondary outcomes included Pittsburgh sleep quality index score and incidence of adverse reactions. The results showed that Pittsburgh sleep quality index score of the SM group and Western medicine group were statistically significant (MD = –0.50, 95% confidence interval [CI] = [–0.78, –0.22], P = .0005). The total effective rate of the SM group was slightly higher than that of the Western medicine group, but there was no statistical significance (relative risk [RR] = 1.03, 95% CI = [0.95,1.13], P = .43). Conclusion: This meta-analysis provides evidence for the efficacy and safety of SM in the treatment of insomnia, and provides a new idea for the clinical treatment of insomnia. But more research is needed to support further evidence.
Correspondence: Lighting for pedestrians: Is facial recognition what matters?

The lighting of residential streets and public spaces is crucial to public safety of pedestrians after dark. One important objective of safety needs is facial recognition at a distance. The authors state that studies in the past have not truly measured illumination required for facial recognition due to the methodology used to conduct them. The authors suggest improved methodology that would more reliably measure the ability to recognize a target's facial expression, as well as gender, age and race, from a distance, in order to make more informed decisions about personal safety. The authors hope that this new approach will lead to a better understanding of how lighting could be used to enhance safety on the streets.
Teaching and learning process competencies by experimenting and reflecting

Aalborg University has more than 20 years' experience in teaching students process competencies in a project-organized and problem-based (PBL) educational system. In this article, the theoretical background and the contents of the course, "Co-operation, Learning, and Project Management" (CLP), for first year students, Faculty of Engineering and Science at Aalborg University, Denmark, will be presented. The objective of the course is to facilitate the students' learning of process competencies in a problem-based and project organised curriculum. The course includes theories and methods within the areas of co-operation, learning and project management and supports the students' work with a process analysis, which is prepared in connection with their project report. The objective of the process analysis is for the students to develop awareness of the work-and- learning processes, in order to become better project workers. Completion of the process analysis, which involves the student to document his/her reflections on the project process, has been a requirement in the First Year Programme since 1982. During the period, the course and the process analysis has undergone major changes. The theoretical understanding behind the teaching of such contents has passed from instructing to facilitating reflections and experiments and the use of a portfolio based approach. The quality of the students' process analyses has improved increasingly with the development of the course.
Proton pump inhibitors and increased reporting odds of renal neoplasms: FAERS-based adverse event data mining and analysis

ABSTRACT Background Long-term use of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) is associated with some safety issues. In this study, data mining was carried out to discover the potential association between renal neoplasms and PPIs. Research Design and Methods Neoplasms signals of PPIs were detected in the Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event Reporting System from 2014 to 2020 by examining the reporting odds ratio. Adjusted odds ratios were analyzed using logistic regression. Results Signals were detected with respect to renal hemangioma, acquired or unspecified cystic kidney disease, and papillary and unspecified renal cell carcinoma, of which intervals between adverse effects onset and medication were 7.00 (3.33, 15.67) years, 5.00 (1.70, 10.25) years, and 7.00 (4.72, 12.25) years, respectively. The lansoprazole had the strongest signal. Adjusted odds ratios for PPIs associated with renal cell carcinoma in cases with or without acquired cystic kidney disease or chronic kidney disease were 1.67 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.46–1.91] and 1.62 (95% CI 1.41–1.87). Conclusions Exposure to PPIs was related to the raised risk of renal neoplasms. Careful consideration should be given to the possibility of an increased risk when PPIs are administered.
Covid-19 and Childhood Obesity (Co-Besity) in the Era of New Normal Life: A Need for a Policy Research

Background In the era of new normal life after Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), our children are experiencing the double threat of COVID-19 and Childhood Obesity (CO-BESITY). The rate of childhood obesity has been rapidly increasing in developed as well as low middle-income countries during the pandemic. Design and Methods The current paper aims to identify the probable reasons of increase in childhood obesity during this pandemic and offers suggestions to reduce the burden of it. Literature search was done using PubMed, Google Scholar, and Scopus databases for the key terms “childhood obesity,” “obesity,” “pandemic,” and/or childhood obesity. All the relevant articles were included to support the argument for this viewpoint. Results Childhood obesity is a complicated disorder having diverse outcomes. The incidence of childhood obesity is analysed from Bronfenbrenner's model of child development. The model examines an overabundance of bio-psycho-social backgrounds, risks, and probable outcomes on the development of a child. COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the ecosystem of this dynamic model and has created an economic and social-cultural crisis that has ignited a chain reaction of stressors upon children and their families. In this paper, we have described how this Bronfenbrenner's model of child development also known as the Bioecological Model can be effective for the estimation and prevention of childhood obesity. Conclusion We propose that this Bioecological Model will help the children and their families further understand and manage the problem of childhood obesity during this pandemic on their own.
Hydrogen-induced cracking and its anisotropy of a PZT ferroelectric ceramics

Threshold stress intensity factor of hydrogen-induced cracking (HIC), KIH, of a lead zirconate titanate ferroelectric ceramics (PZT-5) has been measured during dynamic charging with various current densities at constant load using notched tensile specimens with poling direction parallel or perpendicular to the crack plane. The results show that KIH reveals anisotropy, and the threshold stress intensity factor for the specimen with poling direction parallel to the crack plane, KIHa, is greater than that perpendicular to the crack plane, KIHb, similar to the anisotropy of fracture toughness, KIC. The normalized threshold stress intensity factor of HIC, however, does not reveal anisotropy, and decreass linearly with logarithm of hydrogen concentration, Co, i.e. KIHa/KICa=KIHb/KICb=0.4−0.15 In Co. Therefore, the anisotropy of HIC is the same as that of the fracture toughness, and is due to the anisotropy of the stress-induced 90° domain switching.
Maximum power point tracking of coupled inductor interleaved boost converter supplied PV system

A photovoltaic generator exhibits nonlinear voltage-current characteristics and its maximum power point varies with solar radiation. A two-cell interleaved boost converter with coupled inductors is used to match the photovoltaic system to the load and to operate the solar cell array at maximum power point. A maximum power point tracking algorithm is developed using only load voltage information, eliminating the array current detection. The present converter system has the advantages of low ripple content, both on the load and source side, improved efficiency and reduced switch stress, as compared to noncoupled two-cell interleaved converters. As a result, a lower value of array capacitance is sufficient for smoothing the array voltage and current. Analytical expressions for the photovoltaic source and interleaved boost converter, corresponding to maximum power point operation of the SCA, are derived. Experimental results are presented to demonstrate the suitability of this converter system. Few experimental observations are also presented for partial shading conditions. Further, a comparative study of coupled and noncoupled interleaved boost converters for photovoltaic applications is made. These studies reveal that, by introducing coupling among the parallel branch inductors, it is possible to improve steady-state performance while maintaining the dynamic performance of the photovoltaic system.
Nonvolatile, high density, high performance phase-change memory

An electrically reprogrammable resistor approach has been developed as a basis for a new nonvolatile memory that is potentially denser, faster, and easier to make than Dynamic RAM (DRAM). It relies on structural phase transitions induced by nanosecond-scale heating and cooling of small volumes of chalcogenide films within the memory cell. Initial target markets include FLASH memory, embedded memory, and DRAM.
A protein-trap allele reveals roles for Drosophila ATF4 in photoreceptor degeneration, oogenesis and wing development

ABSTRACT Metazoans have evolved various quality control mechanisms to cope with cellular stress inflicted by external and physiological conditions. ATF4 is a major effector of the integrated stress response, an evolutionarily conserved pathway that mediates adaptation to various cellular stressors. Loss of function of Drosophila ATF4, encoded by the gene cryptocephal (crc), results in lethality during pupal development. The roles of crc in Drosophila disease models and in adult tissue homeostasis thus remain poorly understood. Here, we report that a protein-trap Minos-mediated integration cassette insertion in the crc locus generates a Crc-GFP fusion protein that allows visualization of Crc activity in vivo. This allele also acts as a hypomorphic mutant that uncovers previously unknown roles for crc. Specifically, the crc protein-trap line shows Crc-GFP induction in a Drosophila model for retinitis pigmentosa. This crc allele renders flies more vulnerable to amino acid deprivation and age-dependent retinal degeneration. These mutants also show defects in wing veins and oocyte maturation. Together, our data reveal previously unknown roles for crc in development, cellular homeostasis and photoreceptor survival. This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper.
Bacterial Carotenoids: Extraction, Characterization, and Applications

Abstract Natural carotenoids are secondary metabolites that exhibit antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer properties. These types of compounds are highly demanded by pharmaceutical, cosmetic, nutraceutical, and food industries, leading to the search for new natural sources of carotenoids. In recent years, the production of carotenoids from bacteria has become of great interest for industrial applications. In addition to carotenoids with C40-skeletons, some bacteria have the ability to synthesize characteristic carotenoids with C30-skeletons. In this regard, a great variety of methodologies for the extraction and identification of bacterial carotenoids has been reported and this is the first review that condenses most of this information. To understand the diversity of carotenoids from bacteria, we present their biosynthetic origin in order to focus on the methodologies employed in their extraction and characterization. Special emphasis has been made on high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) for the analysis and identification of bacterial carotenoids. We end up this review showing their potential commercial use. This review is proposed as a guide for the identification of these metabolites, which are frequently reported in new bacteria strains.
A halogen budget of the bulk silicate Earth points to a history of early halogen degassing followed by net regassing

Significance Halogens play a critical role in biochemistry and are useful to understand how planets formed and evolved. As we found that the traditional way of constraining the halogen budget within Earth is unreliable, we developed a method that better utilizes relevant geochemical data and estimated halogen abundances in various silicate reservoirs of Earth. Our halogen budget indicates that the majority of halogens are more concentrated in the mantle than in the surface and suggests that halogens have likely experienced early degassing and subsequent net regassing. This study also provides an important key to deciphering the geological history of ocean chemistry. Halogens are important tracers of various planetary formation and evolution processes, and an accurate understanding of their abundances in the Earth’s silicate reservoirs can help us reconstruct the history of interactions among mantle, atmosphere, and oceans. The previous studies of halogen abundances in the bulk silicate Earth (BSE) are based on the assumption of constant ratios of element abundances, which is shown to result in a gross underestimation of the BSE halogen budget. Here we present a more robust approach using a log-log linear model. Using this method, we provide an internally consistent estimate of halogen abundances in the depleted mid-ocean ridge basalts (MORB)-source mantle, the enriched ocean island basalts (OIB)-source mantle, the depleted mantle, and BSE. Unlike previous studies, our results suggest that halogens in BSE are not more depleted compared to elements with similar volatility, thereby indicating sufficient halogen retention during planetary accretion. According to halogen abundances in the depleted mantle and BSE, we estimate that ∼87% of all stable halogens reside in the present-day mantle. Given our understanding of the history of mantle degassing and the evolution of crustal recycling, the revised halogen budget suggests that deep halogen cycle is characterized by efficient degassing in the early Earth and subsequent net regassing in the rest of Earth history. Such an evolution of deep halogen cycle presents a major step toward a more comprehensive understanding of ancient ocean alkalinity, which affects carbon partitioning within the hydrosphere, the stability of crustal and authigenic minerals, and the development of early life.
Neoadjuvant chemotherapy alters peripheral and tumour‐infiltrating immune cells in breast cancer revealed by single‐cell RNA sequencing

Dear Editor, Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) is one of the standard preoperative therapeutic approaches for breast cancer to downsize tumours, but its clinical efficacy is diverse among patients.1 To understand the causes of disparity in patient outcomes, it is critical to unveil how NAC remodels circulatory immune cells and tumour microenvironment (TME). In this study, we performed single-cell RNA sequencing of 132 823 cells isolated from primary breast tumours with different molecular subtypes, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) collected at three timepoints during patients undergoing NAC and post-NAC tumours respectively (Figure 1A, Table S1). First, we dissected the TME of 17 primary breast carcinomas by separating total cell populations into tumour cells, stromal cells and tumour-infiltrating immune cells. Independent analysis on the amount and gene features of each cell type was then conducted. Immune cells and stromal cells from different samples can be clustered together based on their cell types, while epithelial cells originating from different tumours were separately distributed on the t-SNE plot, suggesting a high degree of intertumour heterogeneity (Figures 1B, C and S1A). We isolatedmalignant cells from epithelial cells through assessing the copy number variation (CNV) inference (Figures 1D and S1B). Most patients exclusively expressed higher levels of one or more oncogenesis-associated genes (Figure 1E). We then compared the epithelial features of the malignant cells with published normal breast epithelia data. Our results showed thatmalignant cells from a single tumour could harbour the gene expression profiles derived frommultiple subsets of normal epithelial cells (Figures 1F and S2). When analysed by the PAM50 classifier, tumour cells from an individual patient could be classified into multiple molecular subtypes, which demonstrated the presence of heterogeneity within a breast tumour (Figure 1G and S3). In the subsequent analysis of 14 functional
Evolution and modulation of Ag filament dynamics within memristive devices based on necklace-like Ag@TiO2 nanowire networks

Random nanowire networks (NWNs) are regarded as promising memristive materials for applications in information storage, selectors, and neuromorphic computing. The further insight to understand their resistive switching properties and conduction mechanisms is crucial to realize the full potential of random NWNs. Here, a novel planar memristive device based on necklace-like structure Ag@TiO2 NWN is reported, in which a strategy only using water to tailor the TiO2 shell on Ag core for necklace-like core–shell structure is developed to achieve uniform topology connectivity. With analyzing the influence of compliance current on resistive switching characteristics and further tracing evolution trends of resistance state during the repetitive switching cycles, two distinctive evolution trends of low resistance state failure and high resistance state failure are revealed, which bear resemblance to memory loss and consolidation in biological systems. The underlying conduction mechanisms are related to the modulation of the Ag accumulation dynamics inside the filaments at cross-point junctions within conductive paths of NWNs. An optimizing principle is then proposed to design reproducible and reliable threshold switching devices by tuning the NWN density and electrical stimulation. The optimized threshold switching devices have a high ON/OFF ratio of ∼107 with threshold voltage as low as 0.35 V. This work will provide insights into engineering random NWNs for diverse functions by modulating external excitation and optimizing NWN parameters to satisfy specific applications, transforming from neuromorphic systems to threshold switching devices as selectors.
Design, fabrication and application of magnetically actuated micro/nanorobots: a review

Magnetically actuated micro/nanorobots are typical micro- and nanoscale artificial devices with favorable attributes of quick response, remote and contactless control, harmless human-machine interaction and high economic efficiency. Under external magnetic actuation strategies, they are capable of achieving elaborate manipulation and navigation in extreme biomedical environments. This review focuses on state-of-the-art progresses in design strategies, fabrication techniques and applications of magnetically actuated micro/nanorobots. Firstly, recent advances of various robot designs, including helical robots, surface walkers, ciliary robots, scaffold robots and biohybrid robots, are discussed separately. Secondly, the main progresses of common fabrication techniques are respectively introduced, and application achievements on these robots in targeted drug delivery, minimally invasive surgery and cell manipulation are also presented. Finally, a short summary is made, and the current challenges and future work for magnetically actuated micro/nanorobots are discussed.
Culture surveys: Monitoring and enhancing the impact of change programmes

This paper outlines the benefits of regularly auditing culture during the course of a TQM implementation process. This paper is based on the authors' experiences of working on implementation projects with a number of large UK businesses. We give examples of the types of feedback given to senior management resulting from the survey results. Also we summarise the main learning points to emerge from the work that we have done in this area.