Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Common ravens, Corvus corax, preferentially associate with grey wolves, Canis lupus, as a foraging strategy in winter

One foraging strategy that scavengers can employ to discover unpredictable food sources is to associate directly with predators who inadvertently provide food. The common raven, a well known feeding generalist, is also a prominent scavenger of wolves' kills and is found to be in close association with this predator. We tested the hypothesis that ravens preferentially associate with wolves in winter as a kleptoparasitic foraging strategy. The presence, absence and behaviour of ravens was documented during winter observations of wolves, coyotes, Canis latrans, and elk, Cervus elaphus, as well as the landscape in the absence of these three species. Ravens were found to be in close association with wolves when they were travelling, resting and hunting prey. In comparison, ravens showed no significant association with coyotes, elk or areas on the landscape in the absence of wolves. We also compared ravens' discovery success of wolf-killed and nonwolf-killed carcasses and their behavioural response upon discovery. Ravens found all wolf kills almost immediately and remained at the carcass to feed alongside wolves after the death of the prey. In contrast, ravens were less successful discovering experimentally placed carcasses in the same study region, and did not land or feed despite the availability of fresh, exposed meat. Our results show that ravens' association with wolves is not just an incidental and proximate by-product of the presence of fresh meat. Instead, we show that ravens preferentially associate with wolves in both the presence and absence of food, resulting in the discovery of carcasses and suppression of ravens' innate fear of novel food sources. Through this mode of social foraging, ravens may experience increased foraging efficiency in the use of an otherwise spatially and temporally unpredictable food source.Copyright 2002 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved .
The Conformal Design of an Island-Bridge Structure on a Non-Developable Surface for Stretchable Electronics

Conformal design of the island-bridge structure is the key to construct high-performance inorganic stretchable electronics that can be conformally transferred to non-developable surfaces. Former studies in conformal problems of epidermal electronics are mainly focused on soft surfaces that can adapt to the deformation of the electronics, which are not suitable for applications in hard, non-developable surfaces because of their loose surface constraints. In this paper, the conformal design problem for the island-bridge structure on a hard, non-developable surface was studied, including the critical size for island and stiffness and the demand for stretchability for the bridge. Firstly, the conformal model for an island on a part of torus surface was established to determine the relationship between the maximum size of the island and the curvatures of the surface. By combining the principle of energy minimization and the limit of material failure, a critical non-dimensional width for conformability was given for the island as a function of its thickness and interfacial adhesion energy, and the ratio of two principal curvatures of the surface. Then, the dependency of the tensile stiffness of the bridge on its geometric parameters was studied by finite element analysis (FEA) to guide the deterministic assembly of the islands on the surface. Finally, the location-dependent demands for the stretchability of the bridges were given by geometric mapping. This work will provide a design rule for stretchable electronics that fully conforms to the non-developable surface.
Blast Mitigation Analysis of Semi-Buried Structure

Semi-buried structures are most commonly used at first line of defense along the border between two countries. This demands investigation of their dynamic behaviour under blast loading. Herein, a semi-buried structure with foam sandwiched walls and buttresses to reduce the effect of blast is analysed. The effect of provision of different configurations of buttresses and foam core between two layers of structural wall subjected to explosive loadings is investigated using ABAQUS/Explicit®. Modelling of semi-buried structure is carried out by employing shell elements and soil is modelled using frequency independent spring-dashpot-mass model. The foam core is modelled using brick elements with reduced integration and volumetric hardening. Effect of strain rate on structural steel is modelled by employing Johnson-Cook (J-C) model. Results indicate that geometry of buttresses and foam core type governs structural response to dynamic loading. It is observed that inner wall of the structure is protected by foam provided in between walls and helps in blast mitigation. Further, it is observed that design of such structures is dependent on the correct identification of buttresses type and isolation of inner wall of structure by provision of energy absorbing materials like foam.
Short-term regulation of food-provisioning rate and effect on prey size in blue tits, Parus caeruleus


Abstract I investigated the short-term regulation of parental provisioning rate in blue tits by videotaping the parents at the nest. An additional feeding experiment allowed a comparison between the behaviour of parents rearing their brood under normal and supplemented feeding conditions. Videotaping revealed that parents changed their provisioning rate as an immediate response to the absence of begging by chicks. When chicks did not beg for food, the parents solicited them with a particular call to make them open their beaks. Parents spent significantly longer away from the nest immediately after uttering these feeding calls. Provisioning rate returned to the usual levels as soon as the chicks started begging again, but supplemented parents took less time to do so than controls (i.e. parents not provided with additional food). Changes in provisioning rate had effects on both the type and size of prey brought to the brood. Females often responded to low brood demand by returning to the nest without food. Food-supplemented parents, but not controls, took larger larvae when they stayed away from the nest for longer. This suggests that parents in the supplemented group could use more time to reach good feeding sites or, more probably, increase their prey selectivity. Blue tits continually monitored the begging behaviour of their offspring and responded accordingly by adjusting their feeding rate, with immediate consequences for prey choice.
Long- and short-term state-dependent foraging under predation risk: an indication of habitat quality

Animals living in environments of different quality will have different expectations of their future reproductive success and survival. This may affect the individual's risk-taking behaviour as manifest in the cost of predation. We investigated the foraging behaviour of starlings, Sturnus vulgaris, when perceived predation risk varied between patches. Short-term food availability varied between treatments and long-term differences in perceptions of environmental quality varied between groups of individuals. This corresponds to variation in the three components of the cost of predation (P): the predation risk (p); the change in reproductive value with energy gain (partial derivativeF/partial derivativee); and the reproductive value or fitness factor (F). The birds showed that they experienced a higher cost of predation while using the risky food patches (mu component) and in the high food treatment (partial derivativeF/partial derivativee component). Furthermore, birds from a high-reward habitat revealed a higher P than birds from a poor habitat (F component). The results show that the costs of predation are possible to tease apart by using behavioural indicators. The method presented allows measurement of fitness prospects of individuals, which may have consequences for conservation, for example, to identify low-quality habitat. (C) 2002 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd on behalf or The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour. (Less)
Combinatorial Neural Inhibition for Stimulus Selection across Space

The ability to select the most salient stimulus among competing ones is essential for animal behavior and operates regardless of the spatial locations that stimuli occupy. Here, we reveal that the brain employs a combinatorially optimized strategy to solve such location-invariant stimulus selection. With experiments in a key inhibitory nucleus in the vertebrate midbrain selection network, called isthmi pars magnocellularis (Imc) in owls, we discovered that the central element is a ‘multilobe’ neuron, which encodes visual locations with multiple firing fields. This multilobed coding of space is necessitated by scarcity of Imc neurons. Although distributed seemingly randomly in space, the locations of these lobes are optimized across the high firing Imc neurons, allowing them to cooperatively suppress stimuli throughout 2D visual space while minimizing metabolic and circuit wiring costs. Our work suggests that combinatorial coding of space by sparse inhibitory neurons may be a general functional module for spatial selection.
Stroke increases ischemia-related decreases in motor unit discharge rates.

Following stroke, hyperexcitable sensory pathways, such as the group III/IV afferents that are sensitive to ischemia, may inhibit paretic motor neurons during exercise. We quantified the effects of whole leg ischemia on paretic vastus lateralis motor unit firing rates during submaximal isometric contractions. Ten chronic stroke survivors (>1 yr poststroke) and 10 controls participated. During conditions of whole leg occlusion, the discharge timings of motor units were identified from decomposition of high-density surface electromyography signals during repeated submaximal knee extensor contractions. Quadriceps resting twitch responses and near-infrared spectroscopy measurements of oxygen saturation as an indirect measure of blood flow were made. There was a greater decrease in paretic motor unit discharge rates during the occlusion compared with the controls (average decrease for stroke and controls, 12.3 ± 10.0% and 0.1 ± 12.4%, respectively; P < 0.001). The motor unit recruitment thresholds did not change with the occlusion (stroke: without occlusion, 11.68 ± 5.83%MVC vs. with occlusion, 11.11 ± 5.26%MVC; control: 11.87 ± 5.63 vs. 11.28 ± 5.29%MVC). Resting twitch amplitudes declined similarly for both groups in response to whole leg occlusion (stroke: 29.16 ± 6.88 vs. 25.75 ± 6.78 Nm; control: 38.80 ± 13.23 vs 30.14 ± 9.64 Nm). Controls had a greater exponential decline (lower time constant) in oxygen saturation compared with the stroke group (stroke time constant, 22.90 ± 10.26 min vs. control time constant, 5.46 ± 4.09 min; P < 0.001). Ischemia of the muscle resulted in greater neural inhibition of paretic motor units compared with controls and may contribute to deficient muscle activation poststroke. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Hyperexcitable inhibitory sensory pathways sensitive to ischemia may play a role in deficient motor unit activation post stroke. Using high-density surface electromyography recordings to detect motor unit firing instances, we show that ischemia of the exercising muscle results in greater inhibition of paretic motor unit firing rates compared with controls. These findings are impactful to neurophysiologists and clinicians because they implicate a novel mechanism of force-generating impairment poststroke that likely exacerbates baseline weakness.
Does beak colour affect female preference in zebra finches?

Abstract Abstract. Mate choice in the zebra finch,Taenopygia guttata, has been extensively studied and the results have been thought to provide support for the hypothesis that females prefer brightly coloured males even in a monogamous species. A bright, red beak colour was seen as the important feature upon which females based their preference. However, many recent studies have failed to find any effect of beak colour on female preference, and some suggest that females use display rate to choose a mate. The evidence provided by various zebra finch studies is critically examined and two possible explanations for why the results differ are suggested. First, there may be a hierarchy of choice criteria with display rate being more important than beak colour. Second, it is possible that female preference for male beak colour depends on female experience of males during maturation. Finally studies on the role of beak colour in zebra finches should consider the possibility that it is males rather than females who are responding strongly to beak colour differences between the sexes.
Communication in crested tits and the risk of predation

It is usually assumed that communication between forest birds is costly in terms of predation. However, there is no direct empirical evidence of these costs. I examined whether contact calls of crested tits, Parus cristatus, could attract predators during the nonbreeding season. I compared attack rates on life-like stuffed specimens with and without playbacks of trilled long-range calls and high-pitched, short-range calls. Crested tit models without playbacks were used as controls. Crested tit models with playbacks of long-range contact calls were attacked significantly more often by sparrowhawks, Accipiter nisus, than the models with playbacks of high-pitched sounds and those without playbacks. These results suggest that calling increases the risk of predation for wintering tits and provide support for the assumption that conspicuous long-distance calling is costly in terms of predation. That models with playbacks of high-pitched signals were attacked at lower rates may indicate that predators cannot hear short-range communication calls as well as the long-range calls.
A Molecular Dynamics Study of the Mechanical Properties of Twisted Bilayer Graphene

Graphene is one of the most important nanomaterials. The twisted bilayer graphene shows superior electronic properties compared to graphene. Here, we demonstrate via molecular dynamics simulations that twisted bilayer graphene possesses outstanding mechanical properties. We find that the mechanical strain rate and the presence of cracks have negligible effects on the linear elastic properties, but not the nonlinear mechanical properties, including fracture toughness. The “two-peak” pattern in the stress-strain curves of the bilayer composites of defective and pristine graphene indicates a sequential failure of the two layers. Our study provides a safe-guide for the design and applications of multilayer grapheme-based nanoelectronic devices.
Increased presepsin levels are associated with the severity of fungal bloodstream infections

Background Presepsin is a widely recognized biomarker for sepsis. However, little is known about the usefulness of presepsin in invasive fungal infection. The aim of this study was to determine the plasma levels of presepsin in fungal bloodstream infections and to investigate whether it reflects the disease severity, similar to its utility in bacterial infections. Methods We prospectively measured presepsin in plasma samples from participants with fungemia from April 2016 to December 2017. The associations of C-reactive protein, procalcitonin, and presepsin concentrations with the severity of fungemia were statistically analyzed. In vitro assay was performed by incubating Escherichia coli, Candida albicans, and lipopolysaccharide to whole blood cells collected from healthy subjects; after 3 h, the presepsin concentration was measured in the supernatant and was compared among the bacteria, fungi, and LPS groups. Results Presepsin was increased in 11 patients with fungal bloodstream infections. Serial measurement of presepsin levels demonstrated a prompt decrease in 7 patients in whom treatment was effective, but no decrease or further increase in the patients with poor improvement. Additionally, presepsin concentrations were significantly correlated with the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score (r = 0.89, p < 0.001). In vitro assay with co-incubation of C. albicans and human whole blood cells indicated that the viable cells of C. albicans caused an increase in presepsin, as seen with E. coli. Conclusions Plasma presepsin levels increased in patients with fungal bloodstream infection, with positive association with the disease severity. Presepsin could be a useful biomarker of sepsis secondary to fungal infections.
Heterozygous STUB1 mutation causes familial ataxia with cognitive affective syndrome (SCA48)

Objective To describe a new spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA48) characterized by early cerebellar cognitive-affective syndrome (CCAS) and late-onset SCA. Methods This is a descriptive study of a family that has been followed for more than a decade with periodic neurologic and neuropsychological examinations, MRI, brain SPECT perfusion, and genetic analysis. Whole exome sequencing was performed in 3 affected and 1 unaffected family member and subsequently validated by linkage analysis of chromosome 16p13.3. Results Six patients fully developed cognitive-affective and complete motor cerebellar syndrome associated with vermian and hemispheric cerebellar atrophy, suggesting a continuum from a dysexecutive syndrome slowly evolving to a complete and severe CCAS with late truncal ataxia. Three presymptomatic patients showed focal cerebellar atrophy in the vermian, paravermian, and the medial part of cerebellar lobes VI and VII, suggesting that cerebellar atrophy preceded the ataxia, and that the neurodegeneration begins in cerebellar areas related to cognition and emotion, spreading later to the whole cerebellum. Among the candidate variants, only the frameshift heterozygous c. 823_824delCT STUB1 (p.L275Dfs*16) pathogenic variant cosegregated with the disease. The p.L275Dfs*16 heterozygous STUB1 pathogenic variant leads to neurodegeneration and atrophy in cognition- and emotion-related cerebellar areas and reinforces the importance of STUB1 in maintaining cognitive cerebellar function. Conclusions We report a heterozygous STUB1 pathogenic genetic variant causing dominant cerebellar ataxia. Since recessive mutations in STUB1 gene have been previously associated with SCAR16, these findings suggest a previously undescribed SCA locus (SCA48; MIM# 618093).
Multiple elements of the black-billed magpie's tail correlate with variable honest information on quality in different age/sex classes

Animals may be able to assess the quality of other individuals by using information contained in single or multiple traits. We investigated the honesty of the information potentially conveyed through different elements of the tail of the black-billed magpie, Pica pica, which develops in a similar way in both sexes while still in the nest. Variability and age and sex dimorphism were all higher for tail features than for other morphological characters. Tail length of first-year males and females was negatively correlated with the number of feathers with fault bars, which may reflect stressful environmental conditions during feather growth in the nest. Adult males may indicate current body condition through overall tail expression, while the current condition of adult females may be signalled by indicators of stressful environmental conditions during feather growth in the previous year, although both these correlations were weak. Tail length correlated negatively with testes volume of first years, and tails tended to be less damaged in both first-year and adult males with large testes. First-year males that had reached sexual maturity had shorter tails than those that had not. There was no association between parasitism and tail expression, but tail length was positively related to spleen size in first-year males. This study provides evidence that multiple information about individual quality may be conveyed by different features of the tail in ways that vary in different age and sex classes.
Adapted ATPase domain communication overcomes the cytotoxicity of p97 inhibitors

The AAA+ ATPase p97 regulates ubiquitin-dependent protein homeostasis and has been pursued as a cancer drug target. The ATP-competitive inhibitor CB-5083 and allosteric inhibitor NMS-873 are the most advanced p97 inhibitors described to date. Previous studies have reported that their cytotoxicity can be readily overcome and involves single p97 mutations in the linker between the D1 and D2 ATPase domains and within D2. We report here that the proline 472 to leucine (P472L) mutation, in the D1–D2 linker and identified in CB-5083–resistant cells, desensitizes p97 to both inhibitor classes. This mutation does not disrupt the distinct D2-binding sites of the inhibitors. Instead, P472L changes ATPase domain communication within the p97 hexamer. P472L enhances cooperative D2 ATP binding and hydrolysis. This mechanism alters the function of the D1–D2 linker in the control of D2 activity involving the ATP-bound state of D1. Although increased D2 activity is sufficient to desensitize the P472L mutant to NMS-873, the mutant's desensitization to CB-5083 also requires D1 ATPase domain function. Our study highlights the remarkable adaptability of p97 ATPase domain communication that enables escape from mechanistically distinct classes of cytotoxic p97 inhibitors.
Autologous Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation for Treatment of Systemic Sclerosis

Systemic Sclerosis (SSc) is a complex autoimmune disease, characterized by high mortality and morbidity. The heterogeneity in terms of extent, severity, and rate of progression of skin and internal organ involvement gives rise to many difficulties in finding the optimal therapeutic interventions for SSc and, to date, no disease-modifying agents are available. In this scenario, it is not surprising that SSc was one of the first autoimmune diseases challenged with high-dose immunosuppressive treatment followed by autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT). In the last decades, AHSCT has emerged as a treatment option for refractory SSc through a reduction of the aberrant immune cells, followed by re-constitution of a new, self-tolerant immune system. After several case series and pilot studies, more recently three randomized controlled trials have shown a benefit in skin involvement, organ functions and quality of life measures in AHSCT compared to monthly cyclophosphamide. In addition, although AHSCT presents a certain risk of mortality, it has been shown that the overall survival is better, compared to the cyclophosphamide group. Current evidence suggests that SSc patients who are most likely to benefit from AHSCT are early, active, with rapidly progressing diffuse skin disease, and mild involvement of internal organs. As the studies have progressed, it has become evident the need for a more rigorous patient selection, the optimization of transplant and post-transplant procedures, and the intervention of multidisciplinary teams of specialists to increase the safety and efficacy of AHSCT in SSc.