Transcriptomic Interpretation on Explainable AI-Guided Intuition Uncovers Premonitory Reactions of Disordering Fate in Persimmon Fruit.

Deep neural network (DNN) techniques, as an advanced machine learning framework, have allowed various image diagnoses in plants, which often achieve better prediction performance than human experts in each specific field. Notwithstanding, in plant biology, the application of DNNs is still mostly limited to rapid and effective phenotyping. The recent development of explainable CNN frameworks has allowed visualization of the features in the prediction by a convolutional neural network (CNN), which potentially contributes to the understanding of physiological mechanisms in objective phenotypes. In this study, we propose an integration of explainable CNN and transcriptomic approach to make a physiological interpretation of a fruit internal disorder in persimmon, rapid over-softening. We constructed CNN models to accurately predict the fate to be rapid softening in persimmon cv. Soshu, only with photo images. The explainable CNNs, such as Gradient-weighted Class Activation Mapping (Grad-Class Activation Mapping (CAM)) and guided Grad-CAM, visualized specific featured regions relevant to the prediction of rapid softening, which would correspond to the premonitory symptoms in a fruit. Transcriptomic analyses to compare the featured regions of the predicted rapid-softening and control fruits suggested that rapid softening is triggered by precocious ethylene signal-dependent cell wall modification, despite exhibiting no direct phenotypic changes. Further transcriptomic comparison between the featured and non-featured regions in the predicted rapid-softening fruit suggested that premonitory symptoms reflected hypoxia and the related stress signals finally to induce ethylene signals. These results would provide a good example for the collaboration of image analysis and omics approaches in plant physiology, which uncovered a novel aspect of fruit premonitory reactions in the rapid-softening fate.

Design and expression of a dimeric form of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 antibody 2G12 with increased neutralization potency.

The antigen-binding fragment of the broadly neutralizing human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) antibody 2G12 has an unusual three-dimensional (3D) domain-swapped structure with two aligned combining sites that facilitates recognition of its carbohydrate epitope on gp120. When expressed as an intact immunoglobulin G (IgG), 2G12 formed typical IgG monomers containing two combining sites and a small fraction of a higher-molecular-weight species, which showed a significant increase in neutralization potency (50- to 80-fold compared to 2G12 monomer) across a range of clade A and B strains of HIV-1. Here we show that the higher-molecular-weight species corresponds to a 2G12 dimer containing four combining sites and present a model for how intermolecular 3D domain swapping could create a 2G12 dimer. Based on the structural model for a 3D domain-swapped 2G12 dimer, we designed and tested a series of 2G12 mutants predicted to increase the ratio of 2G12 dimer to monomer. We report a mutation that effectively increases the 2G12 dimer/monomer ratio without decreasing the expression yield. Increasing the proportion of 2G12 dimer compared to monomer could lead to a more potent reagent for gene therapy or passive immunization.

Sports dentistry: buccal and salivary profile of a female soccer team.

Sports dentistry has been considered a prominent area of dentistry because dental health can limit the abilities of athletes, both professional and nonprofessional, in their training and competition. Dental decay is associated with the frequent use of carbohydrates, recommended as an energy source for exercise. Strong indications exist regarding the possibility to use saliva as a performance determinant and for evaluation and prescription of physical activity. This study evaluated the salivary profiles (pH, flow rate, mutans streptococci and Lactobacillus counts) and decayed, missing, and filled teeth of 18 female soccer players (13 to 19 years old) of the Olympic Training and Research Center of São Paulo, before and after a training session. The salivary flow rate presented a significant reduction after training; however, there was no significant alteration in pH. Fifty percent of the players presented 10(5) to 10(6) mutans streptococci, and 66% presented 10(3) Lactobacillus. Several salivary components protect against microorganisms that cause superior respiratory tract infections (common in athletes), as well as participating in the remineralization mechanism during cariogenic challenges. Thus, due to the salivary flow rate reduction in this population with a high number of cariogenic microorganisms, noncariogenic drink ingestion at regular intervals and maintenance of hydration levels during training, are suggested.