Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Rapid Cortical Plasticity Induced by Active Learning of Novel Words in Human Adults

Whether short-term learning of new words can induce rapid changes in cortical areas involved in distributed neural representation of the lexicon is a hotly debated topic. To answer this question, we examined magnetoencephalographic phase-locked responses elicited in the cerebral cortex by passive presentation of eight novel pseudowords before and immediately after an operant conditioning task. This procedure forced participants to perform an active search for unique meaning of four word-forms that referred to movements of their own body parts. While familiarization with novel word-forms led to bilateral repetition suppression of cortical responses to all eight pseudowords, these reduced responses became more selectively tuned towards newly learned action words in the left hemisphere. Our results suggest that stimulus repetition and active learning of semantic association have separable effects on cortical activity. They also evidence rapid plastic changes in cortical representations of meaningful auditory word-forms after active learning.
Behavioral Study on Taste Responses of Geese to Sweet, Salty, Sour, Bitter, and Umami Solutions

The objective of the present study was to obtain basic information on the potential of geese as biological control agents for weeds in agricultural fields. Taste responses of geese to sweet (sucrose), salty (sodium chloride), sour (citric acid monohydrate), bitter (quinine hydrochloride), and umami (monosodium glutamate) taste solutions were studied during the two-choice preference tests. The aforesaid substances were dissolved in tap water to create 11 stepwise test solutions by doubling the concentrations. Percentage of intake of the test solutions to total fluid at each concentration was defined as the preference index. A preference index above 60.3% was defined as the preference zone, below 39.7% was the rejection zone, and between 39.7% and 60.3% was the nondiscrimination zone using the χ-test (P < 0.05). Geese showed no preference and rejection to the sucrose solution between 0 and 20% concentration. In contrast, they rejected concentrations above 2.5, 0.32, 0.04, and 5% of sodium chloride, citric acid monohydrate, quinine hydrochloride, and monosodium glutamate solutions, respectively. In conclusion, geese showed no preference to any taste of sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami; however, they did aversively respond to the bitter solution at lower concentration levels compared to the sweet, salty, sour, and umami solutions. Therefore, geese are more sensitive to bitter than to sweet, salty, sour, and umami, indicating that they are selective about their grazing diet which is based on the taste.
Assessment of the SFlt-1 and sFlt-1/25(OH)D Ratio as a Diagnostic Tool in Gestational Hypertension (GH), Preeclampsia (PE), and Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM)

Background Placental soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1), an antagonist of vascular endothelial growth factor, is considered an etiological factor of endothelial damage in pregnancy pathologies. An increase in the sFlt-1 level is associated with alterations of endothelial integrity. In contrast, vitamin D exerts a protective effect and low concentrations of 25(OH)D may have an adverse effect on common complications of pregnancy, such as gestational hypertension (GH), preeclampsia (PE), and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). The aim of this study was to analyze the levels of sFlt-1 in Polish women with physiological pregnancies and pregnancies complicated by GH, PE, and GDM. Moreover, we analyzed relationships between the maternal serum sFlt-1 level and the sFlt-1 to 25(OH)D ratio and the risk of GH and PE. Material and Methods The study included 171 women with complicated pregnancies; among them are 45 with GH, 23 with PE, and 103 with GDM. The control group was comprised of 36 women with physiological pregnancies. Concentrations of sFl-1 and 25(OH)D were measured before delivery, with commercially available immunoassays. Results Women with GH differed significantly from the controls in terms of their serum sFlt-1 levels (5797 pg/ml vs. 3531 pg/ml, p = 0.0014). Moreover, a significant difference in sFlt-1 concentrations was found between women with PE and those with physiological pregnancies (6074 pg/ml vs. 3531 pg/ml, p < 0.0001). GDM did not exert a statistically significant effect on serum sFlt-1 levels. Both logistic regression and ROC analysis demonstrated that elevated concentration of sFlt-1 was associated with greater risk of GH (AUC = 0.70, p = 0.0001) and PE (AUC = 0.82, p < 0.0001). Also, the sFlt-1 to 25(OH)D ratio, with the cutoff values of 652 (AUC = 0.74, p < 0.0001) and 653 (AUC = 0.88, p < 0.0001), respectively, was identified as a significant predictor of GH and PE. Conclusions Determination of the sFlt-1/25(OH)D ratio might provide additional important information and, thus, be helpful in the identification of patients with PE and GH, facilitating their qualification for intensive treatment and improving the neonatal outcomes.
Evaluation of coriander (Coriandrum sativum L) genotypes for growth and herbage yield in the northern transitional zone of Karnataka

Coriander is mainly used as condiment in the preparation of curry powder, pickles, sausages, seasonings, chutney and salads etc. There is great potential for commercial production of coriander under transitional zone but there is no systematic study on the performance of different genotypes. Hence the present investigation for identification of high yielding genotypes for a particular agro-climatic region has been undertaken. A field experimentation was laid out at Horticulture Research Station, Devihosur, Haveri District, Karnataka, in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) for sixty one Devihosuru Coriander Collections (DCC) -1 to DCC-61 including DWR-1 and Ajjampura in two replication. Observation on various growth and herbage yield related parameters viz Plant height (cm), Number of primary branches, Number of secondary branches, Number of leaves, Fresh weight of the plant (g) Dry weight of the plant (g), Herbage yield (g), Days to 50% flowering, Number of umbels per plant, Number of umbellets per umbel, Number of seeds per umbellet, 1000 seed weight (g), Seed yield per plant (g), Days to maturity, Harvest index (%). were recorded. The analysis of variance revealed highly significant difference among genotypes for twenty eight characters. The phenotypic coefficient of variation was more than genotypic coefficient of variation for all the characters studied. High heritability coupled with high genetic advance as per cent of mean was observed for characters like plant height, number of primary branches, number of secondary branches, number of leaves, fresh weight of the plant, dry weight of the plant at harvest, number of umbels per plant, number of umbellets per umbel, thousand seed weight, number of seeds per umbellet, seed yield per plant. The present investigation also identified DCC 28, DCC 38, DCC 42, DCC 47, DCC 57 and DCC 5 as a promising genotypes for both herbage and seed yield under transitional zone of Karnataka.
Role for Merlin/NF2 in transcription elongation through interaction with the PAF complex

The PAF complex (PAFC) coordinates transcription elongation and mRNA processing events and its CDC73/parafibromin subunit functions as a tumour suppressor. The NF2/Merlin tumour suppressor functions at the cell cortex and nucleus and is a key mediator of contact inhibition. Here we provide a direct link between nuclear Merlin and transcription elongation controlled by cell-cell adhesion. Merlin interacts with the PAFC in a cell density-dependent manner and tumour-derived inactivating mutations in both Merlin and CDC73 mutually disrupt their interaction. Growth suppression by Merlin requires CDC73 and Merlin regulates PAFC association with chromatin in a subset of genes. We also identify by CDC73 affinity-proteomics a role for FAT cadherins in regulating the Merlin-PAFC interaction. Our results suggest that in addition to its function within the Hippo pathway, nuclear Merlin is part of a tumour suppressor network which coordinates postinitiation steps of the transcription cycle of genes mediating in contact inhibition.
Contribution to the Themed Section: ‘ Decommissioned offshore man-made installations ’ Quo Vadimus The ecology of infrastructure decommissioning in the North Sea: what we need to know and how to achieve it

gas (O&G) installations intensiﬁes in the North Sea, and worldwide, debate rages regarding the fate of these novel habitats and their associated biota—a debate that has important implications for future decommissioning of offshore wind farms (OWFs). Calls to relax complete removal requirements in some circumstances and allow part of an O&G installation to be left in the marine environment are increasing. Yet knowledge regarding the biological communities that develop on these structures and their ecological role in the North Sea is currently insufﬁcient to inform such decommissioning decisions. To focus debate regarding decommissioning policy and guide ecological research, we review environmental policy objectives in the region, summarize existing knowledge regarding ecological aspects of decommissioning for both O&G and OWF installations, and identify approaches to address knowledge gaps through science–industry collaboration. We ﬁnd that in some cases complete removal will conﬂict with other policies regarding protection and restoration of reefs, as well as the conservation of species within the region. Key ecological considerations that are rarely considered during decommissioning decisions are: (i) provision of reef habitat, (ii) productivity of offshore ecosystems, (iii) enhancement of biodiversity, (iv) protection of the seabed from trawling, and (v) enhancement of connectivity. Knowledge gaps within these areas will best be addressed using industry infrastructure and vessels for scientiﬁc investigations, re-analysis of historical data held by industry, scientiﬁc training of industry personnel, joint research funding opportunities, and trial decommissioning projects.
Revisiting the Natural History of Pulmonary Tuberculosis: a Bayesian Estimation of Natural Recovery and Mortality rates

Background Tuberculosis (TB) natural history remains poorly characterised and new investigations are impossible as it would be unethical to follow up TB patients without treating them. Estimates of TB burden and mortality rely heavily on TB self-recovery and mortality rates, as around 40% of individuals with TB are never detected, making their prognosis entirely dependent on the disease natural history. Methods We considered the reports identified in a previous systematic review of studies from the prechemotherapy era, and extracted detailed data on mortality over time. We used a continuous-time Markov model in a Bayesian framework to estimate the rates of TB-induced mortality and self-cure. A hierarchical model was employed to allow estimates to vary by cohort. Inference was performed separately for smear-positive TB (SP-TB) and smear-negative TB (SN-TB). Results We included 41 cohorts of SP-TB patients and 19 cohorts of pulmonary SN-TB patients in the analysis. No data were available on extrapulmonary TB. The posterior median estimates of the TB-specific mortality rates were 0.390 year−1 (0.329-0.452, 95% credible interval) and 0.025 year−1 (0.016-0.036) for SP-TB and SN-TB patients, respectively. The estimates for self-recovery rates were 0.233 year−1 (0.179-0.293) and 0.147 year−1 (0.087-0.248) for SP-TB and SN-TB patients, respectively. These rates correspond to average durations of untreated TB of 1.57 years (1.37-1.81) and 5.35 years (3.42-8.23) for SP-TB and SN-TB, respectively, when assuming a natural mortality rate of 0.014 year−1 (i.e. a 70-year life expectancy). Conclusions TB-specific mortality rates are around 15 times higher for SP-TB than for SN-TB patients. This difference was underestimated dramatically in previous TB modelling studies that parameterised models based on the ratio of 3.3 between the 10-year case fatality of SP-TB and SN-TB. Our findings raise important concerns about the accuracy of past and current estimates of TB mortality and predicted impact of control interventions on TB mortality.
Botrytis cinerea causante del moho gris en frutos de zarzamora en México

La zarzamora (Rubus sp.) es una frutilla atacada por el género Botrytis. En México se desconoce que especies están involucradas con el síntoma de moho gris. El objetivo de este estudio fue identificar las especies de Botrytis asociadas a zarzamora. En noviembre-diciembre de 2016, se realizaron muestreos en 17 áreas productoras de zarzamora en México. Se colectaron frutillas con síntomas de moho gris, de las cuales se aislaron y purificaron los aislamientos. Con la técnica de cultivo monospórico, se obtuvieron 211 aislamientos, los cuales formaron 21 grupos basado en un agrupamiento por similitud de las características morfológicas, patogénicas y culturales. De cada grupo se eligió un aislamiento y se identificó molecularmente. El ADN se extrajo con el método de Phosphatasa Alcalina (AP), posteriormente se realizó la reacción en cadena de la polimerasa (PCR) de la región del espacio transcrito interno. (ITS) utilizando los iniciadores ITS1 e ITS4. El producto de amplificación se secuenció en ambas direcciones con el método de Sanger. Se identificaron diferencias morfológicas, culturales y patogénicas entre los 21 grupos. Basado en la caracterización morfológica, cultural y patogénica, así como el análisis de secuencias de la región ITS se encontró que los aislamientos corresponden a Botrytis cinerea.
PHYTOEXTRACTION AND PHYTOSTABILISATION APPROACHES OF HEAVY METAL REMEDIATION IN ACID MINE DRAINAGE WITH CASE STUDIES: A REVIEW

This review discusses phytoextraction and phytostabilisation of acid mine drainage (AMD) alongside with their benefits and limitations with case studies. Furthermore, plants associated with these two approaches of phytoremediation and impact of AMD on aquatic macrophytes used for phytoremediation were also reviewed. Both phytoextraction and phytostabilisation approaches are promising technologies in remediating AMD. However, their limitation of low metal removal and the lack of knowledge of minimum amendments required for their effective remediation call for the proposal, herein made, to combine aquatic macrophytes, as well as include plants from a wide range of families capable of phytoextraction and phytostabilisation in the remediation of AMD.
Detection of foot and mouth disease virus shedding in milk of apparently healthy buffaloes and cattle of Punjab, Pakistan

Foot and mouth disease is among the top listed livestock diseases causing severe economic losses. The aim of the present study was to determine the seroprevalence of FMD and detection of FMD virus shedding in milk of apparently healthy buffaloes and cattle of Pakistan. A total of 30 dairy farms were selected and registered in rural areas of Punjab consisting of minimum 15 animals. A total of 180 serum samples were collected and subjected to Non structural proteins (NSP) ELISA. The milk of sero-positive animals were collected and detected for the presence of FMD virus using reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR). The results of current study showed overall seroprevalence 71.66% (129/180) with 65.38% in buffaloes and 76.47% in cattle. The FMD virus was detected in 24.03% (31/129) of sero positive samples. Among the FMD virus positive samples 65.51% belongs to serotype “O” and 35.48% belongs to Asia I, while none of the other serotypes were detected. The detection of FMD virus from the milk of apparently healthy buffaloes and cattle is an alarming situation and it may be considered as a potential role in the transmission of FMD.
Set-Up of Bacterial Cellulose Production From the Genus Komagataeibacter and Its Use in a Gluten-Free Bakery Product as a Case Study

The use of bacterial cellulose (BC) in food systems is still limited due to production costs. Nine clones belonging to Komagataeibacter hansenii, Komagataeibacter nataicola, Komagataeibacter rhaeticus, Komagataeibacter swingsii, and Komagataeibacter xylinus species were screened for cellulose productivity in growth tests with five different carbon sources and three nitrogen sources. The water-holding and rehydration capacities of the purified cellulose were determined. The structure of the polymer was investigated through nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FT-IR) spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, and observed by scanning electron microscope (SEM). Natural mutants of K. rhaeticus LMG 22126T and K. swingsii LMG 22125T showed different productivity. The factors “bacterial isolate” and “nitrogen source” significantly affected the production of cellulose (p < 0.01) rather than the factor “carbon source” (p = 0.15). However, on average, the best conditions for increasing yield were found in medium containing glucose and peptone. Water-holding capacity (WHC) values ranged from 10.7 to 42.3 (gwater/gcellulose) with significant differences among strains (p < 0.01), while the rehydration capacity varied from 4.2 to 9.3 (gwater/gcellulose). A high crystallinity (64–80%) was detected in all samples with Iα fractions corresponding to 67–93%. The ATR-FT-IR spectra and the XRD patterns confirmed the expected structure. BC made by GVP isolate of K. rhaeticus LMG 22126T, which was the strain with the highest yield, was added to a gluten-free bread formulation. Results obtained from measurements of technological parameters in dough leavening and baking trials were promising for implementation in potential novel foods.
Limited Scope of Shorter Drug Regimen for MDR TB Caused by High Resistance to Fluoroquinolone

Resistance to second-line tuberculosis drugs for patients with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis has emerged globally and is a potential risk factor for unfavorable outcomes of shorter duration drug regimens. We assessed the proportion of patients eligible for a shorter drug regimen in Uttar Pradesh, India, which had the highest rate of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in India.
A Role for Astroglial Calcium in Mammalian Sleep and Sleep Regulation

Mammalian sleep is characterized by dramatic changes in neuronal activity, and waking neuronal activity is thought to increase sleep need. Changes in other brain cells (glia) across the natural sleep-wake cycle and their role in sleep regulation are comparatively unexplored. We show that sleep is also accompanied by large changes in astroglial activity as measured by intracellular calcium concentrations in unanesthetized mice. These changes in calcium vary across different vigilance states and are most pronounced in distal astroglial processes. We find that reducing intracellular calcium in astrocytes impaired the homeostatic response to sleep deprivation. Thus, astroglial calcium changes dynamically across vigilance states and is a component of the sleep homeostat. One Sentence Summary Astroglial calcium concentrations vary with sleep and wake, change after sleep deprivation, and mediate sleep need.
Phylogenetic relationships in the cricket tribe Xenogryllini (Orthoptera, Gryllidae, Eneopterinae) and description of the Indian genusIndigryllusgen. nov.

The subfamily Eneopterinae is known greatly for its diversified acoustic modalities and disjunct distribution. Within Eneopterinae, tribe Lebinthini is the most studied group, due to its highest species diversity (ca. 150 species in 12 genera), endemic distribution on the islands of Southeast Asia and of the South West Pacific, males’ ability to produce high‐frequency calling songs, and evolution of females’ vibrational response. To investigate the distribution pattern and diversification of acoustic and behavioral attributes in a larger frame, clear understanding of phylogenetic relationships within other tribes of Eneopterinae is vital. In this study, we focus on the tribe Xenogryllini, sister group of Lebinthini. Xenogryllini, as opposed to Lebinthini, is known by fewer species (11 species in two genera), distributed widely in continental Asia and Africa, and for producing low‐frequency calling songs. We describe a new genus Indigryllus with a new species of the tribe Xenogryllini, discovered from the southwest of India. We used eight molecular genetic markers to reconstruct the phylogenetic relationships. The resultant phylogenetic tree is used to compare and discuss distribution patterns and acoustic modalities between Lebinthini and Xenogryllini.
Distinct modes of cell competition are governed by entropic and energetic properties of mixed cell populations

How cells with different genetic makeups compete in tissues is an outstanding question in developmental biology and cancer research. Studies in recent years have revealed two fundamental mechanisms of cell competition, driven by short-range biochemical signaling or by long-range mechanical stresses within the tissue. In both scenarios, the outcome of cell competition has generally been characterised using population-scale metrics. However, the underlying strategies for competitive interactions at the single-cell level remain elusive. Here, we develop a cell-based computational model for competition assays informed by high-throughput timelapse imaging experiments. By integrating physical cell interactions with cellular automata rules for proliferation and apoptosis, we find that the emergent modes of cell competition are determined by a trade-off between entropic and energetic properties of the mixed tissue. While biochemical competition is strongly sensitive to local tissue organisation, mechanical competition is largely driven by the difference in homeostatic pressures of the two competing cell types. These findings suggest that competitive cell interactions arise when the local tissue free energy is high, and proceed until free energy is minimised.
Fishes from lakes and tributaries of the Rio Santa Bárbara, Sapucaí‑Mirim/Grande hydrographic basin, São Paulo, Brazil

Rio Santa Bárbara, a small tributary of the Rio Sapucaí-Mirim, has undergone severe human intervention over the past 80 years. We surveyed the ichthyofauna of this river, some surrounding lakes, and the Rio Potreiro, a tributary. Four campaigns were carried out, 2 in the dry season and 2 in the rainy season. We found 920 specimens at 12 sites and included 32 species belonging to 6 orders and 16 families. The order Characiformes was found to be best represented in our study, followed by the orders Cichliformes and Siluriformes. The family Characidae was the most numerous, followed by the families Cichlidae and Poeciliidae. A specimen of Brycon nattereri was collected from the Rio Santa Bárbara; this species is Critically Endangered in the state of São Paulo.