Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Overlap and Differences in Brain Networks Underlying the Processing of Complex Sentence Structures in Second Language Users Compared with Native Speakers

When we learn a second language later in life, do we integrate it with the established neural networks in place for the first language or is at least a partially new network recruited? While there is evidence that simple grammatical structures in a second language share a system with the native language, the story becomes more multifaceted for complex sentence structures. In this study, we investigated the underlying brain networks in native speakers compared with proficient second language users while processing complex sentences. As hypothesized, complex structures were processed by the same large-scale inferior frontal and middle temporal language networks of the brain in the second language, as seen in native speakers. These effects were seen both in activations and task-related connectivity patterns. Furthermore, the second language users showed increased task-related connectivity from inferior frontal to inferior parietal regions of the brain, regions related to attention and cognitive control, suggesting less automatic processing for these structures in a second language.
Changes in Phenylpropanoid and Trichothecene Production by Fusarium culmorum and F. graminearum Sensu Stricto via Exposure to Flavonoids

Flavonoids are a group of hydroxylated polyphenolic compounds widely distributed in the plant kingdom. Biosynthesis of these compounds involves type III PKSs, whose presence has been recently predicted in some fungal species through genome sequencing efforts. In this study, for the first time it was found that Fusaria produce flavonoids on solid YES medium. Naringenin, as the central precursor of all flavonoids, was produced at highest quantities, followed by quercetin, kaempferol, apigenin and luteolin. In plants, flavonoids are involved in the protection of cereals to a wide range of stresses, including host defense against Fusaria. Under in vitro conditions, strains of Fusarium culmorum and F. graminearum sensu stricto were incubated at levels of flavonoids close to amounts produced by cereals in response to fungal infection. The amounts of exogenous naringenin, apigenin, luteolin, kaempferol and quercetin were reduced and converted by fungi to the other flavonoid derivatives. Treatment of fungi with naringenin derivatives led to the inhibition of naringenin production. Correspondingly, the production of fungal-derived phenolic acids decreased in flavonoid treated samples, although this effect appeared to be dependent on the strain, flavonoid molecule and its concentration. Fusaria showed high variability in trichothecene production in response to flavonoids. With emphasis on quercetin, mycotoxin accumulation in the media was significantly decreased by luteolin, kaempferol, naringenin and apigenin. However, in some cases, apigenin led to the increase of mycotoxin content in the media. Gene expression experiments of Tri genes responsible for trichothecene biosynthesis (Tri4, Tri5 and Tri10) proved that the inhibition of mycotoxin production by flavonoids occurred at the transcriptional level. However, the changes in Tri transcript levels were not significant in most apigenin and all kaempferol-treated cultures. In this study, a link was established between antioxidant and antiradical properties of flavonoids and their effects on fungi.
Does Vitamin D Deficiency Affect the Immunogenic Responses to Influenza Vaccination? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Influenza virus infection is a major global public health problem, and the efficacy of influenza vaccination is not satisfactory. Vitamin D is involved in many immune-mediated inflammatory processes. The impact of vitamin D levels on the immunogenic response to influenza vaccination is not clear. We performed a comprehensive literature search and systematic review of studies that investigated vitamin D and influenza vaccination. Data pertaining to study population, vaccine components, vitamin D levels, and immunogenic response were analyzed. Nine studies, with a combined study population of 2367 patients, were included in the systematic review. Four studies were included in the meta-analysis to investigate the influence of vitamin D deficiency (VDD) on the seroprotection (SP) rates and seroconversion (SC) rates following influenza vaccination. We found no significant association between vitamin D level and the immunogenic response to influenza vaccination. However, strain-specific differences may exist. We observed lower SP rates of influenza A virus subtype H3N2 (A/H3N2) and B strain in VDD patients than patients with normal vitamin D levels (A/H3N2: 71.8% vs. 80.1%, odds ratio (OR): 0.63, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.43–0.91, p = 0.01; B strain: 69.6% vs. 76.4%, OR: 0.68, 95% CI: 0.5–0.93, p = 0.01). However, the SP rates of A/H1N1 and SC rates of all three strains were not significantly different in VDD and control groups. In conclusion, no association was observed between VDD and immunogenic response to influenza vaccination.
Adaptive behaviors can improve the system consilience of a network system

As a recently reported network property, consilience degree (CSD) indicates how well a network system integrates its topology and node activities together to serve a specific systemic goal. As is well known, many natural and man-made systems are complex networks where, besides network topology, node activity states also play an important role in determining system performance. For example, a collaborative project involving friends is more likely to succeed than one involving enemies, even though the topology of network organization is the same. The concept of CSD can quantitatively distinguish the difference between the involvement of friends and the involvement of enemies. This article reports a simulation study on the adaptive behaviors of nodes based on the selfish rule and the following-others rule, and the simulation results show that based on such adaptive behaviors of nodes, a network system will automatically evolve to a high level of system consilience. The simulation study also demonstrates that a high level of system consilience resulting from adaptive behaviors will contribute to increased system resistance to external disturbances. The generality of adaptive behaviors in reality implies that CSD is an inherent attribute of real-world network systems, and therefore, the concept of CSD has significant application potential in the study of adaptive behaviors in network systems.
Whole-body Cryotherapy as a Recovery Technique after Exercise: A Review of the Literature

Abstract This review aims to evaluate the current body of literature investigating the effect of whole body cryotherapy on recovery after exercise. A systematic search was conducted to investigate the effect of whole body cryotherapy (WBC, exposure to temperatures between −110 to −190°C) on markers of recovery after damaging exercise in healthy, physically active subjects. Of the 16 eligible articles extracted, ten induced muscle damage using controlled exercise in a laboratory setting, while six induced damage during sport-specific training. Results indicated that muscle pain was reduced in 80% of studies following WBC. Two applied studies found recovery of athletic capacity and performance with WBC improved, variables of this nature were also improved in 71% of studies using controlled exercise. Further benefits of WBC treatment included reduction of systemic inflammation and lower concentrations of markers for muscle cell damage. These results suggest that WBC may improve recovery from muscle damage, with multiple exposures more consistently exhibiting improvements in recovery from pain, loss of muscle function, and markers of inflammation and damage. The diversity in muscle damage protocols, exposure timing with regards to exercise, as well as temperatures, duration and frequencies of exposure, make specific recommendations preliminary at present.
Use of Dexmedetomidine Along With Local Infiltration Versus General Anesthesia for Burr Hole and Evacuation of Chronic Subdural Hematoma (CSDH)

Background: In neurosurgery, chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) is a very common clinical entity. Both general anesthesia (GA) and local anesthesia with or without sedation are used for the surgical treatment of CSDH. Sedation with dexmedetomidine has been safely used for various diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. However, its effectiveness against GA has not been evaluated for surgical treatment of CSDH. We tried to compare dexmedetomidine sedation technique with the GA technique for surgical treatment of CSDH. Materials and Methods: In this prospective-randomized study, 76 patients undergoing surgery for CSDH were divided into 2 groups using computer-generated randomized tables; Dex group ([n=38]; received IV bolus of dexmedetomidine 1 mcg/kg over 10 min followed by maintenance infusion 0.5 mcg/kg/h) and GA group ([n=38; of which 4 patients were dropped out]; received endotracheal intubation with balanced anesthesia). Results: Both anesthesia techniques (Dex group; n=35/38 [92.1%] and GA group; n=34/34 [100%]) were successfully used for surgical treatment of CSDH. Significantly less time for anesthesia onset (14.2±4.2 vs. 20.5±3.4 min, P=0.001), total duration of surgery (77.1±23.9 vs. 102.7± 24.8 min, P=0.001), and recovery from anesthesia (7.4±5.9 vs. 13.2±6.5 min, P=0.004) was observed in the Dex group compared with GA group. Perioperative hemodynamic fluctuations were more common in the GA group as against the Dex group. Postoperative complications (n=2 vs. 9, P=0.021) and length of hospital stay (1.05±0.23 vs. 1.79±2.1 d, P=0.007) were significantly less in the Dex group as against the GA group. Conclusions: Dexmedetomidine sedation with local anesthesia is a safe and effective technique for burr hole and evacuation of CSDH. It is associated with significantly shorter operative time, lesser hemodynamic fluctuations, postoperative complications, and length of hospital stay, thus it is a better alternative to GA.
Use of Carabids for the Post-Market Environmental Monitoring of Genetically Modified Crops

Post-market environmental monitoring (PMEM) of genetically modified (GM) crops is required by EU legislation and has been a subject of debate for many years; however, no consensus on the methodology to be used has been reached. We explored the suitability of carabid beetles as surrogates for the detection of unintended effects of GM crops in general PMEM surveillance. Our study combines data on carabid communities from five maize field trials in Central Europe. Altogether, 86 species and 58,304 individuals were collected. Modeling based on the gradual elimination of the least abundant species, or of the fewest categories of functional traits, showed that a trait-based analysis of the most common species may be suitable for PMEM. Species represented by fewer than 230 individuals (all localities combined) should be excluded and species with an abundance higher than 600 should be preserved for statistical analyses. Sixteen species, representing 15 categories of functional traits fulfill these criteria, are typical dominant inhabitants of agroecocoenoses in Central Europe, are easy to determine, and their functional classification is well known. The effect of sampling year is negligible when at least four samples are collected during maize development beginning from 1 April. The recommended methodology fulfills PMEM requirements, including applicability to large-scale use. However, suggested thresholds of carabid comparability should be verified before definitive conclusions are drawn.
Nutrients and Other Environmental Factors Influence Virus Abundances across Oxic and Hypoxic Marine Environments

Virus particles are highly abundant in seawater and, on average, outnumber microbial cells approximately 10-fold at the surface and 16-fold in deeper waters; yet, this relationship varies across environments. Here, we examine the influence of a suite of environmental variables, including nutrient concentrations, salinity and temperature, on the relationship between the abundances of viruses and prokaryotes over a broad range of spatial and temporal scales, including along a track from the Northwest Atlantic to the Northeast Pacific via the Arctic Ocean, and in the coastal waters of British Columbia, Canada. Models of varying complexity were tested and compared for best fit with the Akaike Information Criterion, and revealed that nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations, as well as prokaryote abundances, either individually or combined, had significant effects on viral abundances in all but hypoxic environments, which were only explained by a combination of physical and chemical factors. Nonetheless, multivariate models of environmental variables showed high explanatory power, matching or surpassing that of prokaryote abundance alone. Incorporating both environmental variables and prokaryote abundances into multivariate models significantly improved the explanatory power of the models, except in hypoxic environments. These findings demonstrate that environmental factors could be as important as, or even more important than, prokaryote abundance in describing viral abundance across wide-ranging marine environments.
The diversity and plasticity of adult hepatic progenitor cells and their niche

The liver is a unique organ for homoeostasis with regenerative capacities. Hepatocytes possess a remarkable capacity to proliferate upon injury; however, in more severe scenarios liver regeneration is believed to arise from at least one, if not several facultative hepatic progenitor cell compartments. Newly identified pericentral stem/progenitor cells residing around the central vein is responsible for maintaining hepatocyte homoeostasis in the uninjured liver. In addition, hepatic progenitor cells have been reported to contribute to liver fibrosis and cancers. What drives liver homoeostasis, regeneration and diseases is determined by the physiological and pathological conditions, and especially the hepatic progenitor cell niches which influence the fate of hepatic progenitor cells. The hepatic progenitor cell niches are special microenvironments consisting of different cell types, releasing growth factors and cytokines and receiving signals, as well as the extracellular matrix (ECM) scaffold. The hepatic progenitor cell niches maintain and regulate stem cells to ensure organ homoeostasis and regeneration. In recent studies, more evidence has been shown that hepatic cells such as hepatocytes, cholangiocytes or myofibroblasts can be induced to be oval cell‐like state through transitions under some circumstance, those transitional cell types as potential liver‐resident progenitor cells play important roles in liver pathophysiology. In this review, we describe and update recent advances in the diversity and plasticity of hepatic progenitor cell and their niches and discuss evidence supporting their roles in liver homoeostasis, regeneration, fibrosis and cancers.
The cGAS/STING Pathway Detects Streptococcus pneumoniae but Appears Dispensable for Antipneumococcal Defense in Mice and Humans

ABSTRACT Streptococcus pneumoniae is a frequent colonizer of the upper respiratory tract and a leading cause of bacterial pneumonia. The innate immune system senses pneumococcal cell wall components, toxin, and nucleic acids, which leads to production of inflammatory mediators to initiate and control antibacterial defense. Here, we show that the cGAS (cyclic GMP-AMP [cGAMP] synthase)-STING pathway mediates detection of pneumococcal DNA in mouse macrophages to primarily stimulate type I interferon (IFN) responses. Cells of human individuals carrying HAQ TMEM173, which encodes a common hypomorphic variant of STING, were largely or partly defective in inducing type I IFNs and proinflammatory cytokines upon infection. Subsequent analyses, however, revealed that STING was dispensable for restricting S. pneumoniae during acute pneumonia in mice. Moreover, explorative analyses did not find differences in the allele frequency of HAQ TMEM173 in nonvaccinated pneumococcal pneumonia patients and healthy controls or an association of HAQ TMEM173 carriage with disease severity. Together, our results indicate that the cGAS/STING pathway senses S. pneumoniae but plays no major role in antipneumococcal immunity in mice and humans.
Systemic lupus erythematosus with and without a family history: a meta-analysis

Objective The objective of this paper is to investigate the association of clinical manifestations and laboratory parameters between familial systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and sporadic SLE. Methods All relevant literature was retrieved from the PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) databases. The qualities of these studies were evaluated using a modified version of the Newcastle-Ottawa scale. The characteristics and clinical manifestations of involved individuals were extracted from each study. Pooled odds ratio (OR) was calculated using the random effects-method, and the heterogeneity between studies was quantified using the I2 statistic. Results Of 330 studies identified by the search strategy, six were included in this review. In total, 733 cases were familial SLE and 1405 were sporadic SLE. Analysis revealed that photosensitivity, nephritis and thrombocytopenia were negatively associated with familial SLE, with OR (95% CI) values of 0.73 (0.60–0.89), 0.72 (0.59–0.88) and 0.75 (0.57–0.98), respectively. Conclusions Photosensitivity, thrombocytopenia and renal involvement could be more common in non-familial SLE, which should be further confirmed by well-designed studies with large populations.
Novel Layered Semiconductor Quantum Structures in New Material Systems --- III-Nitride Quantum Cascade Emitters and Detectors, Light Emission in Fe:ZnSe with Quantum Cascade Laser Pumping, Theoretical Methods with Real-time Green's Functions, and Hyperbolic Metamaterials

This dissertation focuses on the theory and the experimental implementation of novel phenomena and devices related to thin layered semiconductor quantum structures, especially in new material systems. We explore quantum cascade (QC) structures in III-nitride material systems with large conduction band offsets and high longitudinal optical (LO) phonon energy. The first midinfrared (mid-IR) intersubband (ISB) emission in III-nitride QC structures is demonstrated. The emission is purely transverse magnetic polarized, which verifies its ISB origin. The center of emission at 5 μm is clearly separated from the blackbody radiation, and agrees very well with the design. We also report the first QC detector in metal organic chemical vapor deposition grown III-nitride superlattices. A current responsivity of up to ∼ 100 μA/W and a specific detectivity of up to ∼ 1 × 10 Jones are recorded. The non-equilibrium Green’s function (NEGF) theory is employed for a profound understanding of the subband structure in layered semiconductors. A general model for handling the effects of the interface roughness in thin layered semiconductors is developed within the framework of NEGF. The model predicts an effective grading in the interfaces and an extraordinary fast roughness scattering lifetime (< 0.1 ps), both of which are re-affirmed by the experimentally observed energy shift and unusual broadening in the ISB transitions in IIInitride superlattices. These quantitative results are included in the design of the III-nitride QC emitters and detectors. The ultra fast ISB scattering lifetime (sub-ps) is detrimental for ultra-short pulsed lasing, thus we explore other routes to this goal. We study light emission from a Fe:ZnSe polycrystal with QC laser pumping. Photoluminescence is achieved with its spectral and time-dependent characteristics examined. Effectively, energy stored in the upper state of the QC laser is transferred to the upper manifold of Fe:ZnSe with a 10 10 times longer lifetime.
Effect of integrin-linked kinase gene silencing on microRNA expression in ovarian cancer

Integrin-linked kinase (ILK) is overexpressed in ovarian cancer (OC), and ILK gene silencing results in apoptosis in OC cells. In the present study, the mechanism by which ILK induces apoptosis was explored from the perspective of microRNA (miRNA) expression. Alterations in the global miRNA expression profile were detected using a miRNA microarray after OC cells were transduced with an ILK small hairpin RNA lentivirus. ILK silencing led to a significant upregulation of 14 miRNAs by at least 1.5-fold. These findings were validated by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. A pathway analysis of experimentally validated target genes revealed the inhibition of multiple cancer-associated signaling pathways and the wnt signaling pathway. Compared with cells transfected with scrambled RNA, the ILK-silenced cells had remarkably lower expression of wnt ligands (wnt3a, wnt4 and wnt5a) and downstream β-catenin. ILK silencing led to apoptosis of OC cells and impaired the migratory ability. Taken together, the present results suggested that miRNA-mediated wnt pathway alterations are involved in the anti-apoptotic role of ILK in OC. It was also indicated that ILK silencing reduced the ability of OC cells to adhere to fibronectin, which may lead to unstable focal contact. Consistently, the phosphorylation levels of focal adhesion kinase and RAC-α serine/threonine protein kinase were downregulated. The present work demonstrated the first global miRNA expression profile of OC cells when ILK was inhibited, and this expression profile may provide a basis for the development of biomarkers and therapeutic targets for OC.
The reproductive performance of the Mupli beetle, Luprops tristis , in relation to leaf age of the para rubber tree, Hevea brasiliensis

Abstract An analysis of host plant leaf age preferences and phenology studies led to the predictions that tender rubber plant leaves are essential for the completion of the life cycle of the Mupli beetle, Luprops tristis Fabricius (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) and that low tender leaf availability during the post-dormancy stage will limit the beetle population. Analyses of the effects of feeding the beetles leaves of various ages, nitrogen (N) content, and moisture content on fecundity and the duration of post-dormancy survival were carried out. The results showed that tender leaf availability during the post-dormancy phase of L. tristis is a critical factor that determines the survival of L. tristis adults and the subsequent generation. The control of powdery mildew ( Odium hevea ) disease-mediated premature leaf fall in rubber plantations may regulate the beetle population. A peak in fecundity during the early phase of post-dormancy is proposed as an adaptive mechanism of L. tristis to synchronize egg production and feeding with tender leaf availability in rubber plantations. Variations in nutrient levels and moisture content between deciduous rubber tree leaves of different ages are attributed to the leaf nutrient resorption mechanism of senescing leaves. These results established that tender leaves with high N and moisture levels are essential for post-dormancy survival and that N influences fecundity. The results of the experiments could aid decision making regarding the population management and control of L. tristis in rubber plantations.