Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Causal Evidence for a Mechanism of Semantic Integration in the Angular Gyrus as Revealed by High-Definition Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation

A defining aspect of human cognition is the ability to integrate conceptual information into complex semantic combinations. For example, we can comprehend “plaid” and “jacket” as individual concepts, but we can also effortlessly combine these concepts to form the semantic representation of “plaid jacket. ” Many neuroanatomic models of semantic memory propose that heteromodal cortical hubs integrate distributed semantic features into coherent representations. However, little work has specifically examined these proposed integrative mechanisms and the causal role of these regions in semantic integration. Here, we test the hypothesis that the angular gyrus (AG) is critical for integrating semantic information by applying high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) to an fMRI-guided region-of-interest in the left AG. We found that anodal stimulation to the left AG modulated semantic integration but had no effect on a letter-string control task. Specifically, anodal stimulation to the left AG resulted in faster comprehension of semantically meaningful combinations like “tiny radish” relative to non-meaningful combinations, such as “fast blueberry,” when compared to the effects observed during sham stimulation and stimulation to a right-hemisphere control brain region. Moreover, the size of the effect from brain stimulation correlated with the degree of semantic coherence between the word pairs. These findings demonstrate that the left AG plays a causal role in the integration of lexical-semantic information, and that high-definition tDCS to an associative cortical hub can selectively modulate integrative processes in semantic memory. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT A major goal of neuroscience is to understand the neural basis of behaviors that are fundamental to human intelligence. One essential behavior is the ability to integrate conceptual knowledge from semantic memory, allowing us to construct an almost unlimited number of complex concepts from a limited set of basic constituents (e.g., “leaf” and “wet” can be combined into the more complex representation “wet leaf”). Here, we present a novel approach to studying integrative processes in semantic memory by applying focal brain stimulation to a heteromodal cortical hub implicated in semantic processing. Our findings demonstrate a causal role of the left angular gyrus in lexical-semantic integration and provide motivation for novel therapeutic applications in patients with lexical-semantic deficits.
A Note on Support in Triangulated Categories

In this note, I define a notion of a compactly supported object in a triangulated category. I prove a number of propositions relating this to traditional notions of support and give an application to the theory of derived Morita equivalence. I also discuss a connection to supersymmetric gauge theories arising from D-branes at a singularity.
UNDERSTANDING ACCIDENT AND EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT PERFORMANCE USING SIMULATION

As part of a larger project examining the effect of performance targets on UK hospitals, we present a simulation of an Accident and Emergency (A&E) Department. Performance targets are an important part of the National Health Service (NHS) performance assessment regime in the UK. Pressures on A&Es force the medical staff to take actions meeting these targets with limited resources. We used simulation modelling to help understand the factors affecting this performance. We utilized real data from patient admission system of an A&E and presented some data analysis. Our particular focuses are the multitasking behaviour and experience level of medical staff, both of which affect A&E performance. This performance affects, in turn, the overall performance of the hospital of which it is part.
Soil C dynamics following the ploughing of a poorly-drained grassland

Perennial forage production is a predominant land use in northern temperate regions and soils under forage contain large stock of C. It is important to understand C dynamics under these systems to better assess their role in greenhouse gas budgets. Two plots, one that had received 100 m 3 /ha of liquid swine manure (LSM) annually since 1978 and an unfertilized forage field, were (i) left with vegetation intact or killed by glyphosate in the autumn, and either (ii) left as an undisturbed chemical fallow, (iii) ploughed by full inversion tillage (FIT) in the autumn, or (iv) or in the spring. Following the autumn tillage operation, we monitored CO 2 emissions from the fallow soil surface, CO 2 concentrations in the soil profile, soil temperature and water content for one year. Soil aggregation, the intra-aggregate light fraction organic matter (LFOM) and microbial biomass were also analysed. Tillage significantly decreased the quantity of water-stable aggregates and with it the content of LFOM material protected by aggregates. Yet CO 2 emissions indicated that FIT reduced soil respiration compared to chemical fallow treatments by 19 to 33%. Regression analyses suggested that reductions in CO2 emissions were due to the placement of surface C at depth where soil temperature and oxygen availability were attenuated. Our study indicates that in this cool poorly-drained soil, respiration is largely dependant on environmental factors and not physical protection mechanisms.
Antifungal activity of plant-derived essential oils on Candida tropicalis planktonic and biofilms cells.

Dental prosthesis supports Candida species growth and may predispose the oral cavity to lesions. C. tropicalis has emerged as a colonizer of prosthesis and has shown resistance to clinically used antifungal agents, which has increased the search for new antifungals. This work describes the effectiveness of fifteen essential oils (EOs) against C. tropicalis The EOs were obtained by hydrodistillation and were chemically characterized by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The antifungal activities of the EOs were evaluated by the microdilution method and showed that Pelargonium graveolens (Geraniaceae) (PG-EO) was the most effective oil. Geraniol and linalool were the major constituents of PG-EO. The 2,3-Bis-(2-Methoxy-4-Nitro-5-Sulfophenyl)-2H-Tetrazolium-5-Carboxanilide (XTT) assay showed that all the clinical C. tropicalis strains formed viable biofilms. Scanning electron microscopy examination of the biofilms revealed a complex architecture with basal layer of yeast cells and an upper layer of filamentous cells. Treatments with PG-EO, linalool, and geraniol significantly reduced the number of viable biofilm cells and inhibited biofilm formation after exposure for 48 h. PG-EO, geraniol, and linalool were not toxic to normal human lung fibroblasts (GM07492A) at the concentrations they were active against C. tropicalis Together, our results indicated that C. tropicalis is susceptible to treatment with PG-EO, geraniol, and linalool, which could become options to prevent or treat this infection.
Genetic indicators of drug resistance in the highly repetitive genomes of Trichomonas vaginalis and other trichomonads

Background Trichomonas vaginalis, the most common non-viral sexually transmitted parasite, causes ~283 million trichomoniasis infections annually and is associated with complications during pregnancy and increased risk of HIV-1 acquisition. The antimicrobial drug metronidazole is used for treatment, but has lead to widespread drug resistance. We undertook sequencing of multiple clinical isolates and lab derived lines to identify genetic markers and mechanisms of metronidazole resistance. Results Reduced representation genome sequencings of more than 100 T. vaginalis clinical isolates identified 3,923 SNP markers and presence of a bipartite population structure. Linkage disequilibrium decays rapidly, suggesting genome-wide recombination and the feasibility of genetic association studies in the parasite. We identified 72 SNPs associated with metronidazole resistance, and a comparison of SNPs within several lab-derived resistant lines revealed an overlap with the clinically resistant isolates. We identified SNPs in sets of genes for which no function has yet been assigned, as well as in functionally-characterized genes highly relevant to drug resistance (e.g., pyruvate:ferredoxin oxidoreductase (PFO)). Transcription profiling of these and other genes served as proxy for testing the functional consequences of multiple identified SNPs. Transcription profiles of lab-derived drug resistance strain as well as clinically resistant strain depict common regulation changes in carbohydrate metabolism and oxygen detoxification pathways correlated with Mz resistance. Finally, we identified convergent genetic changes in lab-derived resistant lines of Tritrichomonas foetus, a distantly-related species that causes venereal disease in cattle. Conclusions Our observation of shared genetic changes within and between T. vaginalis and Tr. foetus parasites suggests conservation of the pathways through which adaptation has occurred. These findings extend our knowledge of drug resistance in the parasite, providing a panel of markers that can be used as a diagnostic tool.
The role of US elastography in the evaluation of benign and malignant breast lesions in relation to histopathological examination

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Comprehensive Metaproteomic Analyses of Urine in the Presence and Absence of Neutrophil-Associated Inflammation in the Urinary Tract

Inflammation in the urinary tract results in a urinary proteome characterized by a high dynamic range of protein concentrations and high variability in protein content. This proteome encompasses plasma proteins not resorbed by renal tubular uptake, renal secretion products, proteins of immune cells and erythrocytes derived from trans-urothelial migration and vascular leakage, respectively, and exfoliating urothelial and squamous epithelial cells. We examined how such proteins partition into soluble urine (SU) and urinary pellet (UP) fractions by analyzing 33 urine specimens 12 of which were associated with a urinary tract infection (UTI). Using mass spectrometry-based metaproteomic approaches, we identified 5,327 non-redundant human proteins, 2,638 and 4,379 of which were associated with SU and UP fractions, respectively, and 1,206 non-redundant protein orthology groups derived from pathogenic and commensal organisms of the urogenital tract. Differences between the SU and UP proteomes were influenced by local inflammation, supported by respective comparisons with 12 healthy control urine proteomes. Clustering analyses showed that SU and UP fractions had proteomic signatures discerning UTIs, vascular injury, and epithelial cell exfoliation from the control group to varying degrees. Cases of UTI revealed clusters of proteins produced by activated neutrophils. Network analysis supported the central role of neutrophil effector proteins in the defense against invading pathogens associated with subsequent coagulation and wound repair processes. Our study expands the existing knowledge of the urinary proteome under perturbed conditions, and should be useful as reference dataset in the search of biomarkers.
Benefits of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) for Spastic Subjects: Clinical, Functional, and Biomechanical Parameters for Lower Limb and Walking in Five Hemiparetic Patients

Introduction. Spasticity is a disabling symptom resulting from reorganization of spinal reflexes no longer inhibited by supraspinal control. Several studies have demonstrated interest in repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation in spastic patients. We conducted a prospective, randomized, double-blind crossover study on five spastic hemiparetic patients to determine whether this type of stimulation of the premotor cortex can provide a clinical benefit. Material and Methods. Two stimulation frequencies (1 Hz and 10 Hz) were tested versus placebo. Patients were assessed clinically, by quantitative analysis of walking and measurement of neuromechanical parameters (H and T reflexes, musculoarticular stiffness of the ankle). Results. No change was observed after placebo and 10 Hz protocols. Clinical parameters were not significantly modified after 1 Hz stimulation, apart from a tendency towards improved recruitment of antagonist muscles on the Fügl-Meyer scale. Only cadence and recurvatum were significantly modified on quantitative analysis of walking. Neuromechanical parameters were modified with significant decreases in H max⁡ /M max⁡ and T/M max⁡ ratios and stiffness indices 9 days or 31 days after initiation of TMS. Conclusion. This preliminary study supports the efficacy of low-frequency TMS to reduce reflex excitability and stiffness of ankle plantar flexors, while clinical signs of spasticity were not significantly modified.
Ultrastructural characteristics of the follicle cell-oocyte interface in the oogenesis of Ceratophrys cranwelli

In this work we carried out an ultrastructural analysis of the cell interface between oocyte and follicle cells during the oogenesis of the amphibian Ceratophrys cranwelli, which revealed a complex cell-cell interaction. In the early previtellogenic follicles, the plasma membrane of the follicle cells lies in close contact with the plasma membrane of the oocyte, with no interface between them. In the mid-previtellogenic follicles the follicle cells became more active and their cytoplasm has vesicles containing granular material. Their apical surface projects cytoplasmic processes (macrovilli) that contact the oocyte, forming gap junctions. The oocyte surface begins to develop microvilli. At the interface both processes delimit lacunae containing granular material. The oocyte surface has endocytic vesicles that incorporate this material, forming cortical vesicles that are peripherally arranged. In the late previtellogenic follicle the interface contains fibrillar material from which the vitelline envelope will originate. During the vitellogenic period, there is an increase in the number and length of the micro- and macrovilli, which become regularly arranged inside fibrillar tunnels. At this time the oocyte surface exhibits deep crypts where the macrovilli enter, thus increasing the follicle cell-oocyte junctions. In addition, the oocyte displays coated pits and vesicles evidencing an intense endocytic activity. At the interface of the fully grown oocyte the fibrillar network of the vitelline envelope can be seen. The compact zone contains a fibrillar electron-dense material that fills the spaces previously occupied by the now-retracted microvilli. The macrovilli are still in contact with the surface of the oocyte, forming gap junctions.
Frequency-Dependent Gating of Synaptic Transmission and Plasticity by Dopamine

The neurotransmitter dopamine (DA) plays an important role in learning by enhancing the saliency of behaviorally relevant stimuli. How this stimulus selection is achieved on the cellular level, however, is not known. Here, in recordings from hippocampal slices, we show that DA acts specifically at the direct cortical input to hippocampal area CA1 (the temporoammonic (TA) pathway) to filter the excitatory drive onto pyramidal neurons based on the input frequency. During low-frequency patterns of stimulation, DA depressed excitatory TA inputs to both CA1 pyramidal neurons and local inhibitory GABAergic interneurons via presynaptic inhibition. In contrast, during high-frequency patterns of stimulation, DA potently facilitated the TA excitatory drive onto CA1 pyramidal neurons, owing to diminished feedforward inhibition. Analysis of DA's effects over a broad range of stimulus frequencies indicates that it acts as a high-pass filter, augmenting the response to high-frequency inputs while diminishing the impact of low-frequency inputs. These modulatory effects of DA exert a profound influence on activity-dependent forms of synaptic plasticity at both TA-CA1 and Schaffer-collateral (SC)-CA1 synapses. Taken together, our data demonstrate that DA acts as a gate on the direct cortical input to the hippocampus, modulating information flow and synaptic plasticity in a frequency-dependent manner.
Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology Applicant reactions to social network web use in personnel selection and assessment

Human Resource (HR) professionals are increasingly using Social Networking Websites (SNWs) for personnel recruitment and selection processes. However, evidence is required regarding their psychometric properties and their impact on applicant reactions. In this paper we present and discuss the results of exploring applicant reactions to either the use of a professional SNW (such as LinkedIn) or a non-professional SNW (such as Facebook). A scale for assessing applicant reactions was applied to 124 professionals. The results showed more positive attitudes to the use of professional SNWs compared with non-professional SNWs. Both gender and age moderated these results, with females and young applicants having a less positive attitude than males and older participants towards the use of non-professional SNWs. © 2016 Colegio Oficial de Psicólogos de Madrid. Published by Elsevier España, S.L. U. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Reacciones de los candidatos ante el uso de las redes sociales en selección y evaluación de personal
The sensing of rotational and translational optic flow by the primate optokinetic system.

In primates, there are several reflexes that generate eye movements to compensate for the observer's own movements. Two vestibuloocular reflexes compensate selectively for rotational (RVOR) and translational (TVOR) disturbances of the head, receiving their inputs from the semi-circular canals and otolith organs, respectively. Two independent visual tracking systems deal with any residual disturbances of gaze (global optic flow) and are manifest in the two components of the optokinetic response: the indirect or delayed component (OKNd) and the direct or early component (OKNe). I hypothesize that OKNd--like the RVOR--is phylogenetically old, being found in all animals with mobile eyes, and that it evolved as a backup to the RVOR to compensate for residual rotational disturbances of gaze. Indeed, optically induced changes in the gain of the RVOR result in parallel changes in the gain of OKNd, consistent with the idea of shared pathways as well as shared functions. In contrast, OKNe seems to have evolved much more recently in frontal-eyed animals and, I suggest, acts as a backup to the TVOR--also recently evolved? --to deal primarily with translational disturbances of gaze. Frontal-eyed animals with good binocular vision must be able to keep both eyes directed at the object of regard irrespective of proximity and, in order to achieve this during translational disturbances, the output of the TVOR is modulated inversely with the viewing distance. This sensitivity to absolute depth is also shared by OKNe, consistent with the idea that OKNe is synergistic with the TVOR and shares some of its central pathways. There is evidence that OKNe is also sensitive to relative depth cues such as motion parallax and disparity, which I suggest help the system to segregate the object of regard from other elements in the scene. I also suggest that highly complex optic flow patterns (such as those experienced by the moving observer who looks a little off to one side of his direction of heading) are dealt with by a third visual tracking mechanism--the smooth pursuit system--that spatially filters visual motion inputs so as to exclude all but the motion of the object of interest (local optic flow).
Petrochemical Evaluations of the Pan African Pegmatites of Apomu Area, Southwestern Nigeria

Pan African pegmatites occurring as near vertical dykes and striking mainly in the NNW-SSE direction have been studied in Apomu area with a view to evaluate their petrochemical features and possible economic potentials. These pegmatites intrude into the older lithology of granite around Apomu area Southwestern Nigeria. Petrographic determinations show they are composed of microcline, quartz and to a lesser extent plagioclase albite with interstitial muscovite, biotite and accessory minerals under transmitted light. A total of eleven samples comprising whole rock pegmatites were analyzed for major and trace elements using Inductively Coupled Plasma-Atomic Emission Spectrometry analytical technique (ICP-AES). From the geochemical results, the whole rock pegmatite is considerably siliceous, with an average value of 69.31%, while, MnO with a range of (0.01-0.23%), TiO2 with a range of (0.01-0.69%), P2O5 with a range of (0.02-0.23%) has values that are generally low. Mean contents of major oxides, Al2O3 (14.34% ), Na2O (3.31%), Fe2O3 (2.61%), MgO (0.78%), CaO (1.63%), and K2O (4.80%) for the Apomu pegmatites compare favorably with the Ipetu Ijesha barren pegmatites , Kafin Maiyaki barren pegmatites and Ago-Iwoye barren pegmatites. Apomu pegmatites are fairly enriched in Rb, Sr, Zr but comparatively, poor in the rare metals Ta, Nb, Cs and Sn. Rare metal mineralization enrichment indices mainly, Ta vs Nb, Ta vs K/Cs, plots, suggests the Apomu pegmatites to be barren in rare-metal mineralization when compared with other rare-metal pegmatites across the world.
Does microwave diathermy have an effect on clinical parameters in chronic low back pain? A randomized-controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE The aim of this trial was to investigate the effect of therapeutic microwave diathermy (MD) on pain, disability, trunk muscle strength, walking performance, mobility, quality of life (QOL), and depression in the patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP). METHODS A total of 39 patients were included in this study. The patients were randomized into two groups. Group 1 (n=19) received MD treatment and exercises. Group 2 (n=20) was given only exercises. The pain (visual analog scale), disability (Oswestry Disability Questionnaire and pain disability index), walking performance (6 minute walking test, 6MWT), depression and QOL (Short Form 36) of all participants were evaluated. Patients were assessed before treatment (BT), after treatment (AT), and at a 1-month follow-up (F). RESULTS The patients with CLBP in each group had significant improvements in pain, disability, muscle strength, endurance, 6MWT, mobility, QOL, and depression AT and F when compared with their initial status. There was no statistically significant difference between the groups regarding the change scores between AT-BT test and F-BT test. CONCLUSION Since a 2,450-MHz MD showed no beneficial effects on clinical parameters, exercise program could be preferable for the treatment of patients with CLBP alone.