Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Insula Mediates Access to Awareness of Visual Stimuli Presented Synchronously to the Heartbeat

The processing of interoceptive signals in the insular cortex is thought to underlie self-awareness. However, the influence of interoception on visual awareness and the role of the insular cortex in this process remain unclear. Here, we show in a series of experiments that the relative timing of visual stimuli with respect to the heartbeat modulates visual awareness. We used two masking techniques and show that conscious access for visual stimuli synchronous to participants' heartbeat is suppressed compared with the same stimuli presented asynchronously to their heartbeat. Two independent brain imaging experiments using high-resolution fMRI revealed that the insular cortex was sensitive to both visible and invisible cardio–visual stimulation, showing reduced activation for visual stimuli presented synchronously to the heartbeat. Our results show that interoceptive insular processing affects visual awareness, demonstrating the role of the insula in integrating interoceptive and exteroceptive signals and in the processing of conscious signals beyond self-awareness. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT There is growing evidence that interoceptive signals conveying information regarding the internal state of the body influence perception and self-awareness. The insular cortex, which receives sensory inputs from both interoceptive and exteroceptive sources, is thought to integrate these multimodal signals. This study shows that cardiac interoceptive signals modulate awareness for visual stimuli such that visual stimuli occurring at the cardiac frequency take longer to access visual awareness and are more difficult to discriminate. Two fMRI experiments show that the insular region is sensitive to this cardio–visual synchrony even when the visual stimuli are rendered invisible through interocular masking. The results indicate a perceptual and neural suppression for visual events coinciding with cardiac interoceptive signals.
A Comparison of sludge solids and solids-enriched starch industry wastewater as potential raw materials for the production of Bacillus thuringiensis based biopesticides

Most of the nutrients required for growth of industrial microorganisms are embedded in solids contained in wastewater or wastewater sludge. In order to enhance growth rate and to achieve higher product concentration it is essential that optimum solids concentration be used in a biological process to produce value added products. In this study, different solids concentration of starch industry wastewater (SIW) and that of activated sludge were used to compare the production of Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki (Btk) based biopesticides. The SIW with solids concentration of 15 g/l was settled and the settled solids were mixed with the supernatant in different ratio to obtain a range of solids concentration between 15 to 66g/L. These different solids concentration were used as growth media to produce Btk biopesticides. Growth, spore production and entomotoxicity potential were verified against spruce budworm larvae (Choristoneura fumiferana) using fermented broth at the end of the experiment. The results showed a higher entomotoxicity at solids concentration of 30 g/L which was higher than the entomotoxicity at similar solids concentration in wastewater activated sludge. Based on these results, the optimal value of sludge as well as SIW solids concentration was determined that could be used for eventual biopesticide production.
Sea surface freshening inferred from SMOS and ARGO salinity: impact of rain

Abstract. The sea surface salinity (SSS) measured from space by the Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) mission has recently been revisited by the European Space Agency first campaign reprocessing. We show that, with respect to the previous version, biases close to land and ice greatly decrease. The accuracy of SMOS SSS averaged over 10 days, 100 × 100 km2 in the open ocean and estimated by comparison to ARGO (Array for Real-Time Geostrophic Oceanography) SSS is on the order of 0.3–0.4 in tropical and subtropical regions and 0.5 in a cold region. The averaged negative SSS bias (−0.1) observed in the tropical Pacific Ocean between 5° N and 15° N, relatively to other regions, is suppressed when SMOS observations concomitant with rain events, as detected from SSM/Is (Special Sensor Microwave Imager) rain rates, are removed from the SMOS–ARGO comparisons. The SMOS freshening is linearly correlated to SSM/Is rain rate with a slope estimated to −0.14 mm−1 h, after correction for rain atmospheric contribution. This tendency is the signature of the temporal SSS variability between the time of SMOS and ARGO measurements linked to rain variability and of the vertical salinity stratification between the first centimeter of the sea surface layer sampled by SMOS and the 5 m depth sampled by ARGO. However, given that the whole set of collocations includes situations with ARGO measurements concomitant with rain events collocated with SMOS measurements under no rain, the mean −0.1 bias and the negative skewness of the statistical distribution of SMOS minus ARGO SSS difference are very likely the mean signature of the vertical salinity stratification. In the future, the analysis of ongoing in situ salinity measurements in the top 50 cm of the sea surface and of Aquarius satellite SSS are expected to provide complementary information about the sea surface salinity stratification.
Adsorption of CO2 on Amine-Grafted Activated Carbon

Adsorption on amine-grafted materials may be a potentially attractive alternative to capture CO2 from power plants. Activated carbon (AC) has been proposed as a potential adsorbent due to its natural affinity for CO2 and the possibility of tailoring its textural properties and surface chemistry to enhance capacity and selectivity. An AC commercial sample was functionalized with monoethanolamine to obtain nitrogen-enriched AC with two different loadings (ACN10 and ACN20). Characterization of the sample was carried out by nitrogen adsorption–desorption isotherms at 77 K, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and adsorption microcalorimetry. The CO2 equilibrium adsorption experiments were carried out in a volumetric system within the pressure range from vacuum to 13 bar, at 298 and 348 K. Impregnated AC showed different chemical and textural characteristics with a significant reduction in the surface area, depending on the amine loading. A high adsorption capacity at room temperature (298 K) and high pressure was observed for the pristine AC as compared with the modified samples. The reduction in surface area affected the adsorption capacity of CO2 at 298 and 348 K, except for adsorption on ACN10 at 348 K, which suggests the occurrence of chemisorption.
ect of temperature and humidity on the gas – particle partitioning of nicotine in mainstream cigarette smoke : A di ff usion denuder study

During cigarette smoking, nicotine deposition in the mouth, upper airways and deep lung can occur via rapid diffusion of gas-phase nicotine and via deposition of particle-bound nicotine, with changing proportions, dependent on physical and chemical equilibria. We have used a diffusion denuder approach to physical equilibria to evaluate comprehensively the percentage of nicotine that is initially in the gas phase of mainstream cigarette smoke under different temperature (T) and relative humidity (RH) conditions. Smoking experiments with University of Kentucky 3R4F research cigarettes were performed at six denuder T values (291–335 K) and three RH values (30%, 45% and 60%). G/P partitioning of nicotine increased significantly with increasing T, and decreased substantially with increasing RH. The measured gas diffusion coefficient of nicotine in the system, D298K = 0.071±0.006 cm s, was consistent with published data. Application of the theoretical denuder model of Lipowicz and Piadè indicated that the initial gas-phase fraction (fgLP) of nicotine entering the denuder tube ranged from ≈ 0.012% to 7.2% depending on T and RH. The fgLP values were used to derive the G/P partitioning constant, Kp, proposed by Pankow, ranging from 1.61e-06 to 1.06e-03. The first reported use of van’t Hoff plots of Kp yielded an enthalpy change of 110 kJ mol, consistent with the thermodynamics of the solution process and the acid–base equilibrium of nicotine in droplets of mainstream smoke. These new data offer scope for improved modelling of nicotine behaviour in tobacco smoke and its subsequent deposition in the respiratory tract.
An experimental comparison of a genetic algorithm and a hill-climber for term selection

Purpose – The term selection problem for selecting query terms in information filtering and routing has been investigated using hill‐climbers of various kinds, largely through the Okapi experiments in the TREC series of conferences. Although these are simple deterministic approaches, which examine the effect of changing the weight of one term at a time, they have been shown to improve the retrieval effectiveness of filtering queries in these TREC experiments. Hill‐climbers are, however, likely to get trapped in local optima, and the use of more sophisticated local search techniques for this problem that attempt to break out of these optima are worth investigating. To this end, this paper aims to apply a genetic algorithm (GA) to the same problem.Design/methodology/approach – A standard TREC test collection is used from the TREC‐8 filtering track, recording mean average precision and recall measures to allow comparison between the hill‐climber and GAs. It also varies elements of the GA, such as probability.
Response Analysis of Thoracic Cage against Blunt Loading using Human FE Model

The objective of this study is to develop maps representing local stiffness and tolerance of the occupant’s thorax using finite element (FE) models. To reduce thoracic injuries to occupants, it would be beneficial to identify load paths from restraint systems to the thorax that provide higher stiffness in order to absorb higher kinetic energy of the occupant during a frontal collision. In this study, local thoracic response analysis against blunt loading was conducted by using age‐specific human occupant FE models and rigid impactor models. In addition, the effect of aging on the local response of the rib cage was investigated. Local stiffness of the thoracic cage was calculated by assuming a linear stiffness curve and using the energy absorbed up to 50 mm chest deflections. Local tolerance of the thoracic cage was defined from the value of the deflection where the element elimination was initially activated on the rib. The distribution maps established through the present research quantitatively identified the difference of stiffness and tolerance between 35 years old and 75 years old. They will also enable the assessment of the restraint system relative to the occupant’s thorax.
Interdental Supragingival Plaque—A Natural Habitat of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, Bacteroides forsythus, Campylobacter rectus, and Prevotella nigrescens

The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that suspected periodontal pathogens form a minor component of the supragingival plaque of individuals without periodontal diseases. Twenty-one dental hygienist trainees with a mean age of 23.5 years were twice sampled for interdental plaque between 1st and 2nd molars in all quadrants. The samples were assessed for Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, Bacteroides forsythus, Campylobacter rectus, Porphyromonas gingivalis, and the Prevotella intermedia/Prevotella nigrescens group of organisms. Bacteria of this group were predominantly P. nigrescens and showed both the highest prevalence (100%) and the highest colonization density of the investigated species. Seven of 21 samples harbored A. actinomycetemcomitans. Serotypes a, b, and c were found in three samples each, while serotype e was present in one sample. Three subjects had two different A. actinomycetemcomitans serotypes. Bacteroides forsythus and C. rectus were detected in 10 (48%) and nine (43%) subjects, respectively. The detected cell numbers accounted for approximately 0.01% to 1% of the sampled flora. In contrast, P. gingivalis was found only in a single sample, which in addition harbored B. forsythus, C. rectus, A. actinomycetemcomitans (serotypes b and e), and P. intermedia. These results suggest that the investigated periodontal bacteria are not "exogenous pathogens", but amphibiotic, opportunistic microorganisms which may have a natural habitat in the supragingival plaque of the interproximal area of molars.
Global and 3D Spatial Assessment of Neuroinflammation in Rodent Models of Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a progressive autoimmune inflammatory and demyelinating disease of the central nervous system (CNS). T cells play a key role in the progression of neuroinflammation in MS and also in the experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) animal models for the disease. A technology for quantitative and 3 dimensional (3D) spatial assessment of inflammation in this and other CNS inflammatory conditions is much needed. Here we present a procedure for 3D spatial assessment and global quantification of the development of neuroinflammation based on Optical Projection Tomography (OPT). Applying this approach to the analysis of rodent models of MS, we provide global quantitative data of the major inflammatory component as a function of the clinical course. Our data demonstrates a strong correlation between the development and progression of neuroinflammation and clinical disease in several mouse and a rat model of MS refining the information regarding the spatial dynamics of the inflammatory component in EAE. This method provides a powerful tool to investigate the effect of environmental and genetic forces and for assessing the therapeutic effects of drug therapy in animal models of MS and other neuroinflammatory/neurodegenerative disorders.
The deferred embryo transfer strategy improves cumulative pregnancy rates in endometriosis-related infertility: A retrospective matched cohort study

Background Controlled ovarian stimulation in assisted reproduction technology (ART) may alters endometrial receptivity by an advancement of endometrial development. Recently, technical improvements in vitrification make deferred frozen-thawed embryo transfer (Def-ET) a feasible alternative to fresh embryo transfer (ET). In endometriosis-related infertility the eutopic endometrium is abnormal and its functional alterations are seen as likely to alter the quality of endometrial receptivity. One question in the endometriosis ART-management is to know whether Def-ET could restore optimal receptivity in endometriosis-affected women leading to increase in pregnancy rates. Objective To compare cumulative ART-outcomes between fresh versus Def-ET in endometriosis-infertile women. Materials and methods This matched cohort study compared def-ET strategy to fresh ET strategy between 01/10/2012 and 31/12/2014. One hundred and thirty-five endometriosis-affected women with a scheduled def-ET cycle and 424 endometriosis-affected women with a scheduled fresh ET cycle were eligible for matching. Matching criteria were: age, number of prior ART cycles, and endometriosis phenotype. Statistical analyses were conducted using univariable and multivariable logistic regression models. Results 135 in the fresh ET group and 135 in the def-ET group were included in the analysis. The cumulative clinical pregnancy rate was significantly increased in the def-ET group compared to the fresh ET group [58 (43%) vs. 40 (29.6%), p = 0.047]. The cumulative ongoing pregnancy rate was 34.8% (n = 47) and 17.8% (n = 24) respectively in the Def-ET and the fresh-ET groups (p = 0.005). After multivariable conditional logistic regression analysis, Def-ET was associated with a significant increase in the cumulative ongoing pregnancy rate as compared to fresh ET (OR = 1.76, CI95% 1.06–2.92, p = 0.028). Conclusion Def-ET in endometriosis-affected women was associated with significantly higher cumulative ongoing pregnancy rates. Our preliminary results suggest that Def-ET for endometriosis-affected women is an attractive option that could increase their ART success rates. Future studies, with a randomized design, should be conducted to further confirm those results.
Subcortical gray matter volume abnormalities in healthy bipolar offspring: potential neuroanatomical risk marker for bipolar disorder?

OBJECTIVE A growing number of structural neuroimaging studies have shown that bipolar disorder (BD) is associated with gray matter (GM) volume abnormalities in brain regions known to support affect regulation. The goal of this study was to examine whole-brain regional GM volume in healthy bipolar offspring (HBO) relative to age-matched controls to identify possible structural abnormalities that may be associated with risk for BD. METHOD Participants were 20 youths (8-17 years old) with at least one parent diagnosed with BD, and 22 age-matched healthy individuals. All of them were free of Axis I diagnoses. High-resolution magnetic resonance imaging structural images were acquired using a 3-T Siemens scanner. Voxel-based morphometric analyses were conducted using SPM5. RESULTS Relative to controls, HBO had significantly increased GM volume in left parahippocampal/hippocampal gyrus (p <.05 corrected), following whole-brain analyses. This increase was correlated with puberty but not age in HBO. Region-of-interest analyses on the amygdala and orbitomedial prefrontal cortex did not yield any significant group differences after conducting small volume correction. CONCLUSIONS The pattern of increased GM volume in parahippocampal/hippocampal gyrus in HBO suggests a potential marker for risk for BD. It can also be considered as a potential neuroprotective marker for the disorder because HBO were free of current psychopathology. Prospective studies examining the relationship between changes in GM volume in these regions and subsequent development of BD in HBO will allow us to elucidate further the role of this region in either conferring risk for or protecting against the development of BD.
The Impact of Carbonated Drinks on the Onset of Dental Erosions inthe First Permanent Incisors and Molars in Examinees at the Age from 10 to 29 Years

Summary: The goal of the study was to determine the association between carbonated drinks and the prevalence of dental erosions, according to gender in examinees at the age from 10 to 29 years. In the study we included 46 examinees at the age from 10 to 29 years, from whom 25 (54.3%) were female, and 21 (45,7%) were male, at the age from 10 to 29 years. The study was consisted from clinical examinations, which meant, keeping a record of the consumption of carbonated drinks, and the existence of dental erosions on the first permanent incisors and molars. The results in the presented distribution of dental erosions diagnosed on the central incisors and the first permanent molar, for Pearson and p>0,05, in correlation to the gender of the examinees does not have a significant difference. In the presented distribution of dental erosions according to dental surfacesin correlation to the gender of the examinees and the use of carbonated drinks and dental erosions diagnosed on the central incisors and the first permanent molar, for p<0,001 there is a significant difference. As a conclusion, we would like to note, that the dentists should be more active in the promotion of health, in terms of stopping dental erosions.
Neural traces of stress: cortisol related sustained enhancement of amygdala-hippocampal functional connectivity

Stressful experiences modulate neuro-circuitry function, and the temporal trajectory of these alterations, elapsing from early disturbances to late recovery, heavily influences resilience and vulnerability to stress. Such effects of stress may depend on processes that are engaged during resting-state, through active recollection of past experiences and anticipation of future events, all known to involve the default mode network (DMN). By inducing social stress and acquiring resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) before stress, immediately following it, and 2 h later, we expanded the time-window for examining the trajectory of the stress response. Throughout the study repeated cortisol samplings and self-reports of stress levels were obtained from 51 healthy young males. Post-stress alterations were investigated by whole brain resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) of two central hubs of the DMN: the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) and hippocampus. Results indicate a ’recovery’ pattern of DMN connectivity, in which all alterations, ascribed to the intervening stress, returned to pre-stress levels. The only exception to this pattern was a stress-induced rise in amygdala-hippocampal connectivity, which was sustained for as long as 2 h following stress induction. Furthermore, this sustained enhancement of limbic connectivity was inversely correlated to individual stress-induced cortisol responsiveness (AUCi) and characterized only the group lacking such increased cortisol (i.e., non-responders). Our observations provide evidence of a prolonged post-stress response profile, characterized by both the comprehensive balance of most DMN functional connections and the distinct time and cortisol dependent ascent of intra-limbic connectivity. These novel insights into neuro-endocrine relations are another milestone in the ongoing search for individual markers in stress-related psychopathologies.
The helminth community of Geophagus proximus (Perciformes: Cichlidae) from a tributary of the Paraná River, Ilha Solteira Reservoir, São Paulo State, Brazil

Abstract This study aimed to evaluate the helminth parasites of Geophagus proximus from the São José dos Dourados River, a tributary of Paraná River, Ilha Solteira Reservoir, São Paulo State, Brazil. From May 2006 to May 2007, 116 G. proximus specimens were examined and seven different taxa of helminth were collected and identified: proteocephalidean plerocercoids (Cestoda); metacercariae of Austrodiplostomumcompactum, Clinostomum heluans and Clinostomum sp. (Trematoda); and Raphidascaris (Sprentascaris) hypostomi, and larvae of Raphidascaris sp. and Contracaecum sp. (Nematoda). All parasites presented the typical aggregated pattern of distribution, as well as the presence of a high number of larval stages, an absence of influence of the host sex and seasonality upon community parameters, as well as a correlation between species richness and host body weight. Moreover, with the exception of A. compactum metacercariae, all helminths found in this study are reported for the first time in G. proximus.
11β-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase 1 Human Tissue Distribution, Selective Inhibitor, and Role in Doxorubicin Metabolism

11β-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 1 (11β-HSD1) is distributed mainly in the human liver, with no detectable levels in the intestine or kidney, based on a newly developed proteomic approach. 11β-HSD1 is mostly membrane-bound and retained in the liver microsomal fraction. Interindividual variability of 11β-HSD1 is relatively low, with about a 3-fold difference. A significant correlation was not observed between various demographic variables (ethnicity, gender, age, weight, smoking, and alcohol use) and 11β-HSD1 protein expression or activity based on data from 31 donors. PF-915275 has been identified as a selective 11β-HSD1 inhibitor with minimal effects on carbonyl reductase 1 and major cytochrome P450 enzymes. 11β-HSD1 has been shown, for the first time, to be involved in doxorubicin metabolism, accounting for approximately 30% of doxorubicinol formation in human hepatocytes.