Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Strain‐dependent effectivity, and protective role against enzymes of S‐layers in Lactiplantibacillus plantarum strains

The present study investigated whether the surface layer (S‐layer), which is known to have a varying effect from strain to strain on aggregation, adhesion ability, also has an effect on the resistance of bacteria to digestive enzymes, phenol, lysozymes. The effect of S‐layers on the resistance against various enzymes, aggregation and adhesion abilities, and strain specificity were determined of eight Lactiplantibacillus plantarum strains. Strains were treated with 5 M lithium chloride (LiCl) to extract the S‐layers, the presence of this layer in those microorganisms was demonstrated by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Scanning electron microscopy was used to visualize the separation of the S‐layer, which surrounds the microorganism, from the microorganism by the LiCl. The images were taken three times, once at the beginning, once 30 min later, and once at the end of this process, which took 2 h in total. The effect against enzymes varied depending on the strain, but it was determined that all the tested strains had a serious loss of viability against phenol in the absence of an S‐layer. Lpb. plantarum DA100 showed a maximum decrease against gastrointestinal system enzymes after the LiCl (96.48 ± 0.03% before and 66.46 ± 0.01% after LiCl). Lpb. plantarum DA255 showed a significant decrease against lysozyme (99.11 ± 0.00% before and 62.80 ± 0.0% after LiCl). Removal of the S‐layer greatly affected the adhesion ability of some strains, while for others there was hardly any change. The results showed that the role of the S‐layer may be strain‐specific, the rate of effect can vary. The primary function of S‐layer proteins is thought to contribute to the adhesion ability of bacteria. There are limited studies that have reported the protective property of this layer against various enzymes, however, our results showed that S‐layer could be one of the resistance strategies developed by bacteria against enzymes.
Generalized Knowledge Distillation via Relationship Matching

The knowledge of a well-trained deep neural network (a.k.a. the “teacher”) is valuable for learning similar tasks. Knowledge distillation extracts knowledge from the teacher and integrates it with the target model (a.k.a. the “student”), which expands the student’s knowledge and improves its learning efficacy. Instead of enforcing the teacher to work on the same task as the student, we borrow the knowledge from a teacher trained from a general label space — in this “Generalized Knowledge Distillation (GKD),” the classes of the teacher and the student may be the same, completely different, or partially overlapped. We claim that the comparison ability between instances acts as an essential factor threading knowledge across tasks, and propose the RElationship FacIlitated Local cLassifiEr Distillation (ReFilled) approach, which decouples the GKD flow of the embedding and the top-layer classifier. In particular, different from reconciling the instance-label confidence between models, ReFilled requires the teacher to reweight the hard tuples pushed forward by the student and then matches the similarity comparison levels between instances. An embedding-induced classifier based on the teacher model supervises the student’s classification confidence and adaptively emphasizes the most related supervision from the teacher. ReFilled demonstrates strong discriminative ability when the classes of the teacher vary from the same to a fully non-overlapped set w.r. t. the student. It also achieves state-of-the-art performance on standard knowledge distillation, one-step incremental learning, and few-shot learning tasks.
Remifentanil requirement for acceptable intubation conditions with two different doses of ketamine without a neuromuscular blocking agent in pediatric patients.

OBJECTIVE The optimal remifentanil concentration for improving intubation conditions when intubation is performed without neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBAs) but with ketamine as an induction agent remains unknown. Here, we aimed to identify the effective bolus doses of remifentanil required to achieve acceptable intubation conditions upon anesthesia induction with 1 or 2 mg/kg ketamine without NMBAs. PATIENTS AND METHODS In this prospective, double-blinded, randomized up-down sequential allocation study, we enrolled pediatric patients aged 3-12 years undergoing general anesthesia for inguinal hernia surgery. The patients were randomly allocated to one of two groups to receive either ketamine 1.0 mg/kg (K1 group) or 2.0 mg/kg (K2 group) intravenously until seven success-failure pairs were achieved. The remifentanil dose for each patient was determined using the modified Dixon's up-and-down method with an initial dose of 2.5 μg/kg and a step size of 0.5 μg/kg. RESULTS In total, 51 patients (22 in the K1 group and 29 in the K2 group) were enrolled. The effective dose (ED)50s of remifentanil for obtaining clinically acceptable intubation conditions under anesthesia induction with ketamine but without NMBAs was 3.2 μg/kg in the K1 group and 1.6 μg/kg in the K2 group. High-dose remifentanil with 1 mg/kg ketamine was associated with more severe chest wall rigidity and lower mean blood pressure and heart rate than was low-dose remifentanil with 2 mg/kg ketamine. CONCLUSIONS The ED50 of remifentanil required for clinically acceptable intubation conditions with anesthesia induction using 1 mg/kg ketamine without NMBAs in pediatric patients was twice that when using 2 mg/kg ketamine. The combination of 2 mg/kg ketamine and remifentanil was better at preventing chest wall rigidity.
The impact of COVID-19 on the progression and management of periocular basal cell carcinomas

ABSTRACT Purpose To identify whether the delay caused by COVID-19 had an impact on the peroperative size of lesions and the choice of reconstruction performed in patients with periocular basal cell carcinomas (BCCs). Methods We undertook a retrospective study looking at whether the delay caused by COVID-19 had an impact on the lesion size at the time of surgery, and consequently, on the choice of surgical repair. Results were compared to an equivalent time period a year prior to the onset of COVID-19. Elective surgery was stepped down at our hospital between March and June 2020. We collected data on patients that underwent BCC excisions between July 2020 and April 2021 and for an equivalent time period from 2019 to 2020. Measurements at listing were compared with those preoperatively obtained and from histological specimen. Results Analysis using the paired T-test yielded a p-value 0.005 for the growth of the lesion between listing and surgery after the onset of the pandemic, while pre-COVID the p-value was 0.04. Most patients were able to undergo the same procedure as planned for despite the delay and statistically significant growth while awaiting surgery. Conclusion Literature suggests that BCC operations can be safely delayed up to 3 months. Our longest wait post-COVID was 12 months with a mean wait of 5 months. Only two patients in this group had a more invasive surgery than planned. We conclude that the delay caused by the pandemic, even beyond 3 months, had a minimal impact on the surgical plan and outcomes for patients with BCCs.
Are You Listening to Me? The Negative Link Between Extraversion and Perceived Listening

Extraverts are often characterized as highly social individuals who are highly invested in their interpersonal interactions. We propose that extraverts’ interaction partners hold a different view—that extraverts are highly social, but not highly invested. Across six studies (five preregistered; N = 2,456), we find that interaction partners consistently judge more extraverted individuals to be worse listeners than less extraverted individuals. Furthermore, interaction partners assume that extraversion is positively associated with a greater ability to modify one’s self-presentation. This behavioral malleability (i.e., the “acting” component of self-monitoring) may account for the unfavorable lay belief that extraverts are not listening.
Addressing the energy crisis: using microbes to make biofuels

Much of the energy being used to power our lives comes from fossil fuels such as coal, natural gas and petroleum. These energy sources are non‐renewable, are being exhausted and also pollute the air, water and soil with toxic chemicals. Their mining, transportation, refining and use are associated with a large carbon footprint that contributes significantly to global warming. In addition, the geopolitical complexities surrounding the main fossil fuel producers create risks and uncertainties around the world. Replacing fossil fuels with clean, renewable forms of energy is paramount to creating a sustainable and healthy future, and for laying the foundations for global political stability and prosperity. Using biomass from plants, microbes can produce biofuels that are identical to or perform as well as fossil fuels. In addition of creating sustainable energy, advancing the biofuel industry will create new, high‐quality rural jobs whilst improving energy security.
Phylogenetic relationships of the zokor genus Eospalax (Mammalia, Rodentia, Spalacidae) inferred from whole-genome analyses, with description of a new species endemic to Hengduan Mountains

Zokors in the genus Eospalax, which are endemic to northern and western China, are subterranean rodents that inhabit various niches, including grasslands, high-altitude meadows, forests, and farmlands. Six species in Eospalax were described a century ago but their taxonomy and phylogeny remain controversial. In this study, we performed high-depth whole-genome sequencing of 47 zokor samples, comprising all six previously described species. Genomic analyses revealed a reliable and robust phylogeny of Eospalax and supported the validity of the six named species. According to the inferred phylogenetic relationships, Eospalax first divergent into two clades in the early Pliocene (ca. 4.68 million years ago (Ma)), one inhabiting the high-altitude Qinghai-Xizang (Tibet) Plateau (QTP) and adjacent regions, and the another inhabiting the low-altitude Loess Plateau and Qinling-Daba Mountains. The most recent divergences occurred between E. baileyi and E. smithii and between E. rufescens and E. rothschildi in the late Pliocene (ca. 2.09 and 2.19 Ma, respectively). We also collected specimens of zokors in the southern Hengduan Mountains (Muli County, Sichuan Province), far from the known distributions of all other zokors. Morphological and molecular analyses strongly suggested that the specimens represent a new species, formally described here as Eospalax muliensis sp. nov. The new species belongs to the high-altitude clade and diverged from closely related species (ca. 4.22 Ma) shortly after the first divergence in Eospalax. Interestingly,Eospalax muliensis sp. nov. possesses more supposedly plesiomorphic characters, suggesting a possible origin of the genus in the Hengduan Mountains.
Oxygen sensing in the ductus arteriosus—A unifying vision for two concepts

Closure of the ductus arteriosus at birth is known to be related to the physiological rise in blood oxygen tension. Two main schemes have been proposed to explain the peculiar contraction of the ductus to oxygen, and their function is based on distinct sensor‐effector complexes. Specifically, these schemes comprise a cytochrome P450 monooxygenase‐endothelin complex or, alternatively, a mitochondrial redox mechanism‐voltage gated potassium channel complex. However, it is not clear how these systems may relate to the closure process. Here, it is proposed that they operate jointly within a single functional entity, with their combined activation being required for a full‐fledged contraction of the vessel to oxygen. This arrangement is thought to ensure a smooth transition from the powerful relaxant mechanism that is evident through the early postnatal period. Validation of this concept would not only settle a central question in the operation of the ductus but may also afford a broader perspective in any future translational research.
Absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion of methylene diphenyl diisocyanate and toluene diisocyanate: Many similarities and few differences

Methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) and toluene diisocyanate (TDI) are high production volume chemicals used for the manufacture of polyurethanes. For both substances, the most relevant adverse health effects after overexposure in the workplace are isocyanate-induced asthma, lung function decrement and, to a much lesser extent, skin effects. Over the last two decades many articles have addressed the reactivity of MDI and TDI in biological media and the associated biochemistry, which increased the understanding of their biochemical and physiological behavior. In this review, these new insights with respect to similarities and differences concerning the adsorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) of these two diisocyanates and the implications on their toxicities are summarized. Both TDI and MDI show very similar behavior in reactivity to biological macromolecules, distribution, metabolism, and excretion. Evidence suggests that the isocyanate (NCO) group is scavenged at the portal-of-entry and is not systemically available in unbound reactive form. This explains the lack of other than portal-of-entry toxicity observed in repeated-dose inhalation tests.
Evaluation of cardiac parameters and other safety outcomes of brolucizumab treatment in patients with neovascular age‐related macular degeneration

This was a prospective, single‐dose, single‐arm, open‐label, non‐randomized, multicenter clinical study to determine cardiovascular safety after a single brolucizumab 6 mg intravitreal injection in neovascular age‐related macular degeneration patients (N = 14). Electrocardiogram (ECG) data were collected at different time points using 12‐lead Holter and standard ECG, and patients were followed up to 8 days (end of study) for any signs of ocular and non‐ocular adverse events (AEs). No clinically meaningful changes were observed in cardiac parameters. No patient had a ≥30 msec change from baseline in heart rate–corrected QT using Fridericia's formula (QTcF), and no patient had a new QTcF value of ≥450 msec between 20 and 24 h after treatment. No deaths or serious AEs were reported during the study period. These results are in line with the absence of new cardiovascular safety signal based on the ECG recordings collected over the first year of the pivotal studies performed with brolucizumab in DME.
Transforming growth factor–β1 in regulatory T cell biology

Transforming growth factor–β1 (TGF-β1) is inextricably linked to regulatory T cell (Treg) biology. However, precisely untangling the role for TGF-β1 in Treg differentiation and function is complicated by the pleiotropic and context-dependent activity of this cytokine and the multifaceted biology of Tregs. Among CD4+ T cells, Tregs are the major producers of latent TGF-β1 and are uniquely able to activate this cytokine via expression of cell surface docking receptor glycoprotein A repetitions predominant (GARP) and αv integrins. Although a preponderance of evidence indicates no essential roles for Treg-derived TGF-β1 in Treg immunosuppression, TGF-β1 signaling is crucial for Treg development in the thymus and periphery. Furthermore, active TGF-β1 instructs the differentiation of other T cell subsets, including TH17 cells. Here, we will review TGF-β1 signaling in Treg development and function and discuss knowledge gaps, future research, and the TGF-β1/Treg axis in the context of cancer immunotherapy and fibrosis. Description TGF-β1 is a pleiotropic cytokine that modulates Treg biology and function, with critical roles in the etiology of cancer and fibrosis.
Colon + Hyphen + Right Paren: At the Origins of Face Semiotics from Smileys to Memes

The article engages with the semiotics of “stylized faces” in online communication, focusing on “smileys. ” It reconstructs the origins of both emoticons and emojis, outlining how they differ functionally (paralinguistic signs vs. narrative figures) and commenting on their pragmatics, with regard to the issue of literacy as related to generational fruition. A chronology is provided of the first tokens of smileys in written communication, both before and after the Internet. By relying upon the anthropology of the face dating back to prehistory, the issues of iconism and universality are discussed, supporting the view that there is a strong cultural, conventional component in face depiction, varying diachronically (emoticons versus emojis) and diatopically (emoticons versus kaomojis, i.e., Japanese emoticons). Emoticons and emojis are regarded as prominent examples of intermedia, working at the intersection of written word and image. Finally, stylized digital faces are set in the broader framework of Internet memes, thus discussing the dichotomy between structural memes (the focus is on the formula) and iconic memes (the focus is on the image and, thus, the face). Throughout the text, great care is devoted to the philology of sources, some of them being presented in this form for the first time.
A polynomial time exact solution to the bit-aware register binding problem

Finding the minimum register bank is an optimization problem related to the synthesis of hardware. Given a program, the problem asks for the minimum number of registers plus their minimum size, in bits, that suffices to compile said program. This problem is NP-complete; hence, usually solved via heuristics. In this paper, we show that this problem has an optimal solution in polynomial time, as long as swaps can be inserted in the program to move variables across registers. This observation sets a lower bound to heuristics that minimize the size of register banks. We have compared the optimal algorithm with two classic heuristics. Our approach uses, on average, 6 to 10% less bits than that previous work.
One-shot tuner for deep learning compilers

Auto-tuning DL compilers are gaining ground as an optimizing back-end for DL frameworks. While existing work can generate deep learning models that exceed the performance of hand-tuned libraries, they still suffer from prohibitively long auto-tuning time due to repeated hardware measurements in large search spaces. In this paper, we take a neural-predictor inspired approach to reduce the auto-tuning overhead and show that a performance predictor model trained prior to compilation can produce optimized tensor operation codes without repeated search and hardware measurements. To generate a sample-efficient training dataset, we extend input representation to include task-specific information and to guide data sampling methods to focus on learning high-performing codes. We evaluated the resulting predictor model, One-Shot Tuner, against AutoTVM and other prior work, and the results show that One-Shot Tuner speeds up compilation by 2.81x to 67.7x compared to prior work while providing comparable or improved inference time for CNN and Transformer models.
Modifying the diet and gut microbiota to prevent and manage neurodegenerative diseases

Abstract The global prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease is steadily increasing due to the aging population. The lack of effective drugs against these neurodegenerative disorders makes it imperative to identify new strategies for their prevention and treatment. Recent studies have revealed that harnessing the power of the gut microbiota through modification of diet may be a valuable approach for reducing the risk, modulating the symptoms, and ameliorating the pathophysiological aspects of neurodegenerative diseases. Consuming specific dietary components can alter the prevalence of bacterial communities within the gut to a healthy enterotype, which can influence the production of beneficial metabolites by microbiota. This article focuses on several dietary components, which have been demonstrated to affect the gut microbiota–brain axis and therefore could lead to attenuation of specific pathological processes in neurodegenerative diseases. Published evidence indicates that fermented foods, including kefir, and foods that are high in bioactive polyphenols and complex carbohydrates, such as grapes, pomegranates, and seaweed, may be effective at reducing neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, neurotransmitter dysfunction, and neuronal death associated with Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. Even though experimental evidence supporting the protective properties of the above dietary components in these diseases is emerging, it is evident that further human clinical studies are required to conclusively establish the benefits of any suggested dietary interventions. The translational potential of such research is illustrated by the clinical success of the recently developed Alzheimer’s drug, GV-971, which is a seaweed derivative that works by modulating the gut microbiota–brain axis.
Sophistik, Performanz, Performativ

Abstract The present paper discusses the characteristics of performative speech through three distinct but related episodes: 1. the ancient origins of “convincing speech“ in Homeric and Sophistic discourse; 2. the treatment of linguistic issues through speech by South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission; 3. present-day language as determined and constituted by the plurality of languages, between the Scylla and Charybdis of “Globish” and “ontological nationalism”. John L. Austin’s theory of performative speech acts as laid down in How to do Things With Words serves as a contemporary frame of reference throughout the argument.
miR-22-5p regulates the self-renewal of spermatogonial stem cells by targeting EZH2

Abstract MiRNAs play an important role in spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs). The purpose of this study was to investigate the basic function of miR-22-5p in cryptorchidism. The results of RT-PCR, western blot, and immunohistochemistry showed that miR-22-5p was increased while EZH2 decreased in the testicular tissues of patients with cryptorchidism. Overexpression of miR-22-5p inhibited the proliferation of SSCs, increased cell apoptosis rate, and reduced expression of SSC marker proteins (GDNF and DAZL); however, knockout of miR-22-5p has the opposite effect. The Luciferase reporter gene assays demonstrated that EZH2 is a direct target of miR-22-5p. Moreover, EZH2 overexpression could reverse the effect of miR-22-5p mimic on SSCs’ proliferation, apoptosis, and expression of SSC marker proteins. Our results demonstrated that miR-22-5p regulates SSCs’ self-renewal by targeting EZH2, which indicated that miR-22-5p may serve as a biological marker for the treatment of infertility caused by cryptorchidism.