Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Pre-attentive Mismatch Response and Involuntary Attention Switching to a Deviance in an Earlier-Than-Usual Auditory Stimulus: An ERP Study

An acoustic stimulus elicits an electroencephalographic response called auditory event-related potential (ERP). When some members of a stream of standard auditory stimuli are replaced randomly by a deviant stimulus and this stream is presented to a subject who ignores the stimuli, two different ERPs to deviant and standard stimuli are recorded. If the ERP to standard stimuli is subtracted from the ERP to deviant stimuli, the difference potential (DP) waveform typically exhibits a series of negative-positive-negative deflections called mismatch negativity (MMN), P3a, and reorienting negativity (RON), which are associated with pre-attentive change detection, involuntary attention switching, and reorienting of attention, respectively. The aim of the present study was to investigate how these pre-attentive processes are affected if the change occurs earlier than its usual timing implied by isochronous standard stimuli. In the MMN paradigm employed, 15% of the standards were randomly replaced by deviant stimuli which differed either in their pitch, their earlier onset time, or in both. Event-related responses to these three deviants [timely pitch change (RTP), earlier onset (REO), earlier pitch change (REP)] and to standards (RS) were recorded from 10 reading subjects. To maintain identical stimulation histories for the responses subtracted from each other, “deviant-standard” difference potentials (DP) for “timely” and “early” pitch deviances were derived as follows: DPTP = RTP − RS and DPEP = REP − REO. Interestingly, the MMN components of the DPs to timely and early pitch deviances had similar amplitudes, indicating that regularity of stimulus timing does not provide any benefit for the pre-attentive auditory change detection mechanism. However, different scalp current density (SCD) dynamics of the MMN/P3a complexes, elicited by timely and early pitch deviances, suggested that an auditory change in a stimulus occurring earlier-than-usual initiates a faster and more effective call-for-attention and causes stronger attention switching than a timely change. SCD results also indicated that the temporal, frontal, and parietal MMN components are simultaneously present rather than emerging sequentially in time, supporting the MMN models based on parallel deviance processing in the respective cortices. Similarity of the RONs to timely and early pitch deviances indicated that reorienting of attention is of the same strength in two cases.
The Impact of Pre-sleep Protein Ingestion on the Skeletal Muscle Adaptive Response to Exercise in Humans: An Update

This review provides an update on recent research assessing the effect of pre-sleep protein ingestion on muscle protein synthesis rates during overnight sleep and the skeletal muscle adaptive response to exercise training. Protein ingested prior to sleep is effectively digested and absorbed during overnight sleep, thereby increasing overnight muscle protein synthesis rates. Protein consumption prior to sleep does not appear to reduce appetite during breakfast the following day and does not change resting energy expenditure. When applied over a prolonged period of resistance-type exercise training, pre-sleep protein supplementation has a beneficial effect on the increase in muscle mass and strength. Protein ingestion before sleep is hypothesized to represent an effective nutritional strategy to preserve muscle mass in the elderly, especially when combined with physical activity or muscle contraction by means of neuromuscular electrical stimulation. In conclusion, protein ingestion prior to sleep is an effective interventional strategy to increase muscle protein synthesis rates during overnight sleep and can be applied to support the skeletal muscle adaptive response to resistance-type exercise training.
Differential of Frequency and Duration Mismatch Negativity and Theta Power Deficits in First-Episode and Chronic Schizophrenia

Background: Due to its impairment in patients with schizophrenia, mismatch negativity (MMN) generation has been identified as a potential biomarker for identifying primary impairments in auditory sensory processing. This study aimed to investigate the dysfunctional differences in different MMN deviants and evoked theta power in patients with first-episode schizophrenia (FES) and chronic schizophrenia (CS). Methods: We measured frequency and duration MMN from 40 FES, 40 CS, and 40 healthy controls (HC). Evoked theta power was analyzed by event-related spectral perturbation (ERSP) approaches. Results: Deficits in duration MMN were observed in both FES (p = 0.048, Bonferroni-adjusted) and CS (p < 0.001, Bonferroni-adjusted). However, deficits in frequency MMN were restricted to the CS (p < 0.001, Bonferroni-adjusted). Evoked theta power deficits were observed in both patient groups when compared with the HC (p FES = 0.001, p CS < 0.001, Bonferroni-adjusted), yet no significant differences were found between FES and CS. Frequency MMN was correlated with the MATRICS consensus cognitive battery (MCCB) combined score (r = -0.327, p < 0.05) and MCCB verbal learning (r = -0.328, p < 0.05) in FES. Evoked theta power was correlated with MCCB working memory in both FES (r = 0.347, p < 0.05) and CS (r = 0.408, p < 0.01). Conclusion: These findings suggest that duration MMN and evoked theta power deficits may be more sensitive for detection of schizophrenia during its early stages. Moreover, frequency MMN and theta power could potentially linked to poor cognitive functioning in schizophrenic patients. The findings mentioned above indicated that the neural mechanisms of the three indexes may vary between people.
The Effects of Unfermented and Fermented Cow and Sheep Milk on the Gut Microbiota

A variety of fermented foods have been linked to improved human health, but their impacts on the gut microbiome have not been well characterized. Dairy products are one of the most popular fermented foods and are commonly consumed worldwide. One area we currently lack data on is how the process of fermentation changes the gut microbiota upon digestion. What is even less well characterized are the possible differences between cow and other mammals’ milks. Our aim was to compare the impact of unfermented skim milk and fermented skim milk products (milk/yogurt) originating from two species (cow/sheep) on the gut microbiome using a rat model. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed a dairy-free diet supplemented with one of four treatment dairy drinks (cow milk, cow yogurt, sheep milk, sheep yogurt) for 2 weeks. The viable starter culture bacteria in the yogurts were depleted in this study to reduce their potential influence on gut bacterial communities. At the end of the study, cecal samples were collected and the bacterial community profiles determined via 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing. Fermentation status drove the composition of the bacterial communities to a greater extent than their animal origin. While overall community alpha diversity did not change among treatment groups, the abundance of a number of taxa differed. The cow milk supplemented treatment group was distinct, with a higher intragroup variability and a distinctive taxonomic composition. Collinsella aerofaciens was of particularly high abundance (9%) for this group. Taxa such as Firmicutes and Lactobacillus were found in higher abundance in communities of rats fed with milk, while Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Parabacteroides were higher in yogurt fed rats. Collinsella was also found to be of higher abundance in both milk (vs. yogurt) and cows (vs. sheep). This research provides new insight into the effects of unfermented vs. fermented milk (yogurt) and animal origin on gut microbial composition in a healthy host. A number of differences in taxonomic abundance between treatment groups were observed. Most were associated with the effects of fermentation, but others the origin species, or in the case of cow milk, unique to the treatment group. Future studies focusing on understanding microbial metabolism and interactions, should help unravel what drives these differences.
Can Positive Framing Reduce Nocebo Side Effects? Current Evidence and Recommendation for Future Research

Although critical for informed consent, side effect warnings can contribute directly to poorer patient outcomes because they often induce negative expectations that trigger nocebo side effects. Communication strategies that reduce the development of nocebo side effects whilst maintaining informed consent are therefore of considerable interest. We reviewed theoretical and empirical evidence for the use of framing strategies to achieve this. Framing refers to the way in which information about the likelihood or significance of side effects is presented (e.g., negative frame: 30% will experience headache vs. positive frame: 70% will not experience headache), with the rationale that positively framing such information could diminish nocebo side effects. Relatively few empirical studies (k = 6) have tested whether framing strategies can reduce nocebo side effects. Of these, four used attribute framing and two message framing. All but one of the studies found a significant framing effect on at least one aspect of side effects (e.g., experience, attribution, threat), suggesting that framing is a promising strategy for reducing nocebo effects. However, our review also revealed some important open questions regarding these types of framing effects, including, the best method of communicating side effects (written, oral, pictorial), optimal statistical presentation (e.g., frequencies vs. percentages), whether framing affects perceived absolute risk of side effects, and what psychological mechanisms underlie framing effects. Future research that addresses these open questions will be vital for understanding the circumstances in which framing are most likely to be effective.
Ecometabolomic Analysis of Wild Populations of Pilocarpus pennatifolius (Rutaceae) Using Unimodal Analyses

Studies examining the diversity of plant specialized metabolites suggest that biotic and abiotic pressures greatly influence the qualitative and quantitative diversity found in a species. Large geographic distributions expose a species to a great variety of environmental pressures, thus providing an enormous opportunity for expression of environmental plasticity. Pilocarpus, a neotropical genus of Rutaceae, is rich in alkaloids, terpenoids, and coumarins, and is the only commercial source of the alkaloid pilocarpine for the treatment of glaucoma. Overharvesting of species in this genus for pilocarpine, has threatened natural populations of the species. The aim of this research was to understand how adaptation to environmental variation shapes the metabolome in multiple populations of the widespread species Pilocarpus pennatifolius. LCMS data from alkaloid and phenolic extracts of leaf tissue were analyzed with environmental predictors using unimodal unconstrained and constrained ordination methods for an untargeted metabolomics analysis. PLS-DA was used to further confirm the chemoecotypes of each site. The most important variables contributing to the alkaloid variation between the sites: mean temperature of wettest quarter, as well as the soil content of phosphorus, magnesium, and base saturation (V%). The most important contributing to the phenolic variation between the sites: mean temperature of the wettest quarter, temperature seasonality, calcium and soil electrical conductivity. This research will have broad implications in a variety of areas including biocontrol for pests, environmental and ecological plant physiology, and strategies for species conservation maximizing phytochemical diversity.
Emotional Induction Through Music: Measuring Cardiac and Electrodermal Responses of Emotional States and Their Persistence

Emotional inductions through music (EIM) procedures have proved to evoke genuine emotions according to neuroimaging studies. However, the persistence of the emotional states after being exposed to musical excerpts remains mostly unexplored. This study aimed to investigate the curve of emotional state generated by an EIM paradigm over a 6-min recovery phase, monitored with valence and arousal self-report measures, and physiological parameters. Stimuli consisted of a neutral and two valenced musical excerpts previously reported to generate such states. The neutral excerpt was composed in a minimalist form characterized by simple sonorities, rhythms, and patterns; the positive excerpt had fast tempo and major tones, and the negative one was slower in tempo and had minor tone. Results of 24 participants revealed that positive and negative EIM effectively induced self-reported happy and sad emotions and elicited higher skin conductance levels (SCL). Although self-reported adjectives describing evoked-emotions states changed to neutral after 2 min in the recovery phase, the SCL data suggest longer lasting arousal for both positive and negative emotional states. The implications of these outcomes for musical research are discussed.
Bacteria control cell volume by coupling cell-surface expansion to dry-mass growth

Cells exhibit a high degree of intracellular crowding. To control the level of crowding during growth cells must increase their volumes in response to the accumulation of biomass. Using Escherichia coli as a model organism, we found that cells control cell volume indirectly, by increasing cell-surface area in proportion to biomass growth. Thus, dry-mass density, a readout of intracellular crowding, varies in proportion to the surface-to-volume ratio, both during the cell cycle and during perturbations such as nutrient shifts. On long time scales after shifts, initial dry-mass density is nearly restored by slow variations of the surface-to-mass ratio. Contrary to a long-standing paradigm, cell-envelope expansion is controlled independently of cell-wall synthesis but responds to the activity of cell-wall cleaving hydrolases. Finally, we observed rapid changes of Turgor pressure after nutrient shifts, which were likely responsible for initial changes of cell diameter and dry-mass-density. Together, our experiments reveal important regulatory relationships for cell volume and shape.
Methylthioadenosine is Not Dramatically Elevated in MTAP-Homozygous Deleted Primary Glioblastomas

In Brief The co-deletion of MTAP in the CDKN2A locus is a frequent event in diverse cancers including glioblastoma. Recent publications report that significant accumulations of the MTAP substrate, methylthioadenosine (MTA), can sensitize MTAP-deleted cancer cells to novel inhibitors of PRMT5 and MAT2A for targeted therapy against tumors with this particular genetic alteration. In this work, using comprehensive metabolomic profiling, we show that MTA is primarily secreted, resulting in exceedingly high levels of extracellular MTA in vitro. We further show that primary human glioblastoma tumors minimally accumulate MTA in vivo, which is likely explained by the metabolism of MTA by MTAP-competent stromal cells. Together, these data challenge whether the metabolic conditions required for therapies to exploit vulnerabilities associated MTAP deletions are present in primary human tumors, questioning their translational efficacy in the clinic. Highlights Methylthioadenosine (MTA) is elevated in MTAP-deleted cancer cells in vitro, which provides a selective vulnerability to PRMT5 and MAT2A inhibitors Accumulation of MTA in MTAP-deleted cancer cells is predominately extracellular, suggesting active secretion of MTA. MTAP-deleted primary human glioblastoma tumors show minimal intratumoral elevations of MTA, which is likely explained by secretion and metabolism by MTAP-competent stromal cells. SUMMARY Homozygous deletion of the CDK2NA locus frequently results in co-deletion of methylthioadenosine phosphorylase (MTAP) in many fatal cancers such as glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), resulting in elevations of the substrate metabolite, methylthioadenosine (MTA). To capitalize on such accumulations, therapeutic targeting of protein arginine methyltransferase 5 (PRMT5) and methionine adenosyl transferase (MAT2A) are ongoing. While extensively corroborated in vitro, the clinical efficacy of these strategies ultimately relies on equally significant accumulations of MTA in human tumors. Here, we show that in vitro accumulation of MTA is a predominately extracellular phenomenon, indicating secretion of MTA from MTAP-deleted cells. In primary human GBMs, we find that MTA levels are not significantly higher in MTAP-deleted compared to MTAP-intact tumors or normal brain tissue. Together, these findings highlight the metabolic discrepancies between in vitro models and primary human tumors and should thus be carefully considered in the development of the precision therapies targeting MTAP-homozygous deleted GBM.
A Pathogen and a Non-pathogen Spotted Fever Group Rickettsia Trigger Differential Proteome Signatures in Macrophages

We have previously reported that Rickettsia conorii and Rickettsia montanensis have distinct intracellular fates within THP-1 macrophages, suggesting that the ability to proliferate within macrophages may be a distinguishable factor between pathogenic and non-pathogenic Spotted fever group (SFG) members. To start unraveling the molecular mechanisms underlying the capacity (or not) of SFG Rickettsia to establish their replicative niche in macrophages, we have herein used quantitative proteomics by SWATH-MS to profile the alterations resulted by the challenge of THP-1 macrophages with R. conorii and R. montanensis. We show that the pathogenic, R. conorii, and the non-pathogenic, R. montanensis, member of SFG Rickettsia trigger differential proteomic signatures in macrophage-like cells upon infection. R. conorii specifically induced the accumulation of several enzymes of the tricarboxylic acid cycle, oxidative phosphorylation, fatty acid β-oxidation, and glutaminolysis, as well as of several inner and outer membrane mitochondrial transporters. These results suggest a profound metabolic rewriting of macrophages by R. conorii toward a metabolic signature of an M2-like, anti-inflammatory activation program. Moreover, several subunits forming the proteasome and immunoproteasome are found in lower abundance upon infection with both rickettsial species, which may help bacteria to escape immune surveillance. R. conorii-infection specifically induced the accumulation of several host proteins implicated in protein processing and quality control in ER, suggesting that this pathogenic Rickettsia may be able to increase the ER protein folding capacity. This work reveals novel aspects of macrophage-Rickettsia interactions, expanding our knowledge of how pathogenic rickettsiae explore host cells to their advantage.
Communal Coping in Couples With Health Problems

Prior to the 1990s, the predominant view of stress and coping defined stress as occurring when an individual perceives a situation as a challenge, threat, or loss and evaluates her capacity to respond based on her available resources. As an expansion of this intrapersonal perspective, the last 20 years have seen the emergence of two prominent interpersonal perspectives on stress and coping that account for the importance of social relationships in the coping process: the Systemic Transactional Model (STM) of dyadic coping and communal coping. In this article, I outline these two perspectives and highlight their points of convergence and divergence. I propose that one difference between the models is that communal coping involves an explicit focus on a communal or shared appraisal process, in which relationship partners view a problem or stressor as “ours” rather than “yours” or “mine. ” I review existing methods for assessing communal coping (e.g., self-report, language use, behavioral observation) across laboratory, intervention, and real-world settings and summarize empirical evidence for the prognostic significance of communal coping for relationship and health functioning. I propose the utility of incorporating measurement of shared appraisal into future research on dyadic coping with stress, because of its potential to impact health through its influence on primary and secondary stress appraisal processes and physiological stress response systems. Finally, I outline biological and behavioral pathways through which communal coping may influence health as directions for future research.
Pilot-Testing of “Healthy Body Healthy Mind”: An Integrative Lifestyle Program for Patients With a Mental Illness and Co-morbid Metabolic Syndrome

Background: Metabolic syndrome and co-morbid physical health conditions are highly prevalent in people with a mental illness. Modifiable lifestyle factors have been targeted to improve health outcomes. Healthy Body Healthy Mind (HBHM) program was developed to provide an integrated evidence-based program incorporating practical diet and exercise instruction; alongside meditation and mindfulness strategies, and comprehensive psychoeducation, to improve the physical and mental health of those with a mental illness. Methods: We report on two data points: (1) Qualitative data derived from the first HBHM program (version 1) exploring its utility and acceptance according to patient feedback; (2) Biometric and mental health data collected on the modified and enhanced 12-week HBHM program (version 2) involving a pilot of 10 participants. Mental and physical health outcomes, weight, abdominal circumference, fasting glucose, cholesterol, and triglycerides were measured at program entry and completion. Results: Qualitative data from HBHM version 1 provided valuable feedback to redevelop and enhance the program. At the end of the HBHM (version 2) 12-week program, a significant mean weight loss of 2 kg was achieved, p = 0.023. There was also a significant reduction in abdominal circumference (mean = 2.55 cm) and a decrease in BMI of almost one point (mean = 0.96 kg/m2), p = 0.046 and p = 0.019, respectively. There were no significant changes in mental health measures or on any other biometrics. Conclusion: Pilot data from the HBHM program found significant reductions in weight and abdominal obesity. The HBHM program could benefit from further modifications, and study replication is required using a controlled design in a larger sample.