Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Habitat and Climate Influence Beetle and Spider Communities in Boreal Forests

ABSTRACT Separating the influence of climate and habitat characteristics on forest communities could help better understand their potential sensitivity to environmental change. In this study, we sampled spiders and beetles in similar forest types, located along a ca. 4°C mean annual temperature spatial gradient in the boreal forest zone in Quebec, Canada. Specifically, we aimed to separate the effect on arthropod communities of two habitat-related factors that can be influenced by forest management (stand composition and stand age), and another one that cannot (climate). Overall, spider assemblages tended to be more abundant and species-rich in younger forest stands, while beetle assemblages were more abundant and species-rich in deciduous forest stands. Eight beetle and six spider species were significantly influenced by climate, independently from forest type, whereas 11 beetle and seven spider species were significantly influenced by both forest type and climate. While most of the beetle species affected by climate were associated with warmer locations, several spider species were more abundant in colder locations. By helping to ensure the retention of key forest types along potential dispersal pathways at the landscape level, forest management activities could help the conservation of species belonging to relatively cryptic taxa such as arthropods in a climate change context.
Effects of surface roughness topography in transient channel flows

The dynamical effects of roughness geometry on the response of a half-height turbulent channel flow to an impulse acceleration are investigated using direct numerical simulations. Two rough surfaces different in the surface height spectrum are compared between themselves and with a smooth-wall baseline case. Both rough cases develop from a transitionally rough state to a fully rough one. Results show that on rough walls the thickness of the roughness sublayer (RSL), defined as the layer with significant form-induced stresses, stays almost constant. The ensemble-average flows inside the RSL stays close to equilibrium throughout the transient. This is shown by the form-induced perturbations largely scaling with the mean velocity at the edge of the RSL. Inside the RSL, turbulence develops rapidly to the new steady state, accompanied by substantial changes in the Reynolds stress balance. In contrast, the flow above the RSL recovers long after the sublayer is fully developed, without a significant change in Reynolds stress balance. The geometry of the roughness plays an important role in determining the rate of response of turbulence throughout the boundary layer. This work provides detailed explanation of the suppression of reverse transition by surface roughness in response to a mean flow acceleration.
Promoting Healthy Eating Practices through Persuasion Processes

Abstract The successful impact of healthy eating campaigns often depends on the extent to which messages are effective in changing attitudes and behaviors over time. The present work proposes that healthy eating campaigns can be designed taking into consideration elaboration and validation processes so that the degree of attitude change is maximally influenced and is consequential. The first set of studies described in this review demonstrates the importance of considering elaboration in determining initial attitudes toward healthy foods as well as the subsequent attitude strength consequences (e.g., stability, prediction of behavior, spreading). The second set of studies focuses on the role of perceived validity of one’s thoughts in the domain of eating as a potential mediator of the persuasion process. These studies include campaigns promoting positive attitudes toward healthy eating (e.g., eating of vegetables and fruits), and interventions oriented to decreasing the intake of unhealthy food (e.g., taxing junk food). We also discuss the role of modality of information presentation (e.g., verbal and visual information vs. direct physical experience) in those studies. Finally, the review offers a tutorial with concrete recommendations that researchers, practitioners and public policy makers can follow in order to predict both short and long-term attitude and behavior changes.
A Focus Group Study of Canadian Dairy Farmers' Attitudes and Social Referents on Antimicrobial Use and Antimicrobial Resistance

As part of broader actions to combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR), health authorities have promoted the reduction of antimicrobial use (AMU) in food animals. Farmers' attitudes and receptivity to reduction of AMU appear to be variable and context specific. Our research objectives were to gain insight into Canadian dairy farmers' attitudes toward AMU, AMR, and AMU-reduction in the dairy industry, and to explore drivers and barriers to change AMU, including the influence of social referents. We conducted seven focus groups with 42 farmers in two provinces of Canada (New Brunswick and Ontario) and used thematic analysis to identify, analyze, and report patterns in the data. Our results indicate that farmers usually rely on their previous experience and judgement of individual cases of disease when making decisions related to AMU. External referents included other farmers, family members, and veterinarians. However, veterinarians were generally only consulted for unusual cases. Participants in this study expressed that maintaining cattle welfare is their responsibility, and that they were not willing to jeopardize animal welfare in order to reduce AMU. In addition, farmers regarded the cost of investment in improved facilities to prevent disease as an important barrier to reduce AMU. Finally, the majority of participants considered themselves to be low users of antimicrobials and perceived a small role of AMU on dairy farms in AMR. In conclusion, farmers from this study showed self-reliance to decide about AMU on their farms and considered animal-related and economic factors in these decisions. There was a general lack of knowledge of how to reduce AMU without investing in facilities, and there is an opportunity to motivate increased involvement of the veterinarian in AMU-related decisions. These results should be considered to design and refine antimicrobial stewardship programs for dairy farms.
Completed Suicide With Violent and Non-violent Methods by the Elderly in Rural China: A Psychological Autopsy Study

Background: Late-life suicide is a severe public health problem in rural China; however, knowledge regarding the specific characteristics and risk factors for completed suicide via violent and non-violent methods among elderly individuals in rural China is limited. Methods: Subjects aged 60 years or older were selected from rural areas in Shandong, Hunan, and Guangxi provinces in China. This study was a 1:1 matched case-control design conducted by using the psychological autopsy method. Results: According to the univariate analyses, the presence of mental disorder, higher degree of depression, loneliness, lack of social support, hopelessness, impulsivity, and increased quantity of life events were associated with suicide in both violent and non-violent methods. For violent suicide, another risk factor was the lack of pesticides at home. For non-violent suicide, other risk factors were not currently married, family suicide history, and alcohol use disorder (P < 0.05). Variables that remained in the logistic regression model were the severity of depressive symptoms for both violent and non-violent suicide. For non-violent suicide, the degree of hopelessness was another independent risk factor. In addition, violent suicides were more likely to lack pesticides at home, choose the spring season and have an increased quantity of life events than those who died by suicide via non-violent methods. Conclusion: The major risk factor for both violent and non-violent suicide was the severity of depressive symptoms. Suicide prevention measures that focus on depression among this vulnerable population are urgently needed. Moreover, the characteristics of suicides via violent methods differed from those via non-violent methods among elderly individuals. Suicide prevention efforts should be tailored to the specific characteristics of the different suicide methods utilized by older adults in rural areas.
Is There a “Gestalt Bias” in Indulgence? Subjectively Constructing Food Units Into Wholes (vs. Parts) Increases Desire to Eat and Actual Consumption

In the present work we extend research into the unit bias effect and its extension—the portion size effect—by demonstrating the existence of a “Gestalt bias. ” Drawing on the tenets of Gestalt psychology, we show that a unit bias effect can be observed for food portions that are composed of identical basic units, but which are subjectively grouped into, or perceived as a Gestalt—a larger whole. In three studies, we find that such subjectively constructed food wholes constitute a new (perceptual) unit that is perceived bigger than the units it is constructed from, thereby prompting increased eating and desire to eat.
The Dark is Rising: Contrasting the Dark Triad and Light Triad on Measures of Political Ambition and Participation

A growing body of research suggests a significant relationship between dark personality traits and political behavior. While the personality characteristics of Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy (labeled the Dark Triad) are associated with a range of political attitudes, research has not tested the Dark Triad in combination with the emerging use of the comparable Light Triad of personality. This paper sets up an exploration of the competing influences of light and dark personality traits on political participation and ambition. Our analyses corroborate that Dark Triad traits are significantly related to ambition and political participation. Consistent with prior research, the dark personality traits remain predominant. However, there are significant effects for some Light Triad traits as well. Our findings have implications for a deeper understanding of the mix of personality traits that drive political behavior and expand upon the normative discussion of who is, in fact, political.
Working Memory Load Effects on the Tilt Aftereffect

Prolonged exposure to an oriented stimulus causes a subsequent test stimulus to be perceived as tilted in the opposite direction, a phenomenon referred to as the tilt aftereffect (TAE). Previous studies have demonstrated that high-level cognitive functions such as attention can modulate the TAE, which is generally well-known as a low-level perceptual process. However, it is unclear whether working memory load, another high-level cognitive function, could modulate the TAE. To address this issue, here we developed a new paradigm by combining a working memory load task with a TAE task. Participants firstly remembered a stream of digits (Experiment 1) or four color-shape conjunctions (Experiment 2) under high/low load conditions, and then recognized the probe stimuli (digits or a color-shape conjunction), which were presented at the center of an adapting grating. After the recognition task (i.e., the adaptation stage), participants performed an orientation judgment task to measure their TAEs. The result of Experiment 1, where the load stimuli were digits, showed that the magnitude of the TAEs were reduced under the condition of the high working memory load compared to that of the low working memory load. However, we failed to replicate the finding in Experiment 2, where the load stimuli were color-shape conjunctions. Together, our two experiments provided mixed evidence regarding the working memory load effects on the TAE and further replications are needed in future work.
Debaryomyces hansenii Strains Isolated From Danish Cheese Brines Act as Biocontrol Agents to Inhibit Germination and Growth of Contaminating Molds

The antagonistic activities of native Debaryomyces hansenii strains isolated from Danish cheese brines were evaluated against contaminating molds in the dairy industry. Determination of chromosome polymorphism by use of pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) revealed a huge genetic heterogeneity among the D. hansenii strains, which was reflected in intra-species variation at the phenotypic level. 11 D. hansenii strains were tested for their ability to inhibit germination and growth of contaminating molds, frequently occurring at Danish dairies, i.e., Cladosporium inversicolor, Cladosporium sinuosum, Fusarium avenaceum, Mucor racemosus, and Penicillium roqueforti. Especially the germination of C. inversicolor and P. roqueforti was significantly inhibited by cell-free supernatants of all D. hansenii strains. The underlying factors behind the inhibitory effects of the D. hansenii cell-free supernatants were investigated. Based on dynamic headspace sampling followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (DHS-GC-MS), 71 volatile compounds (VOCs) produced by the D. hansenii strains were identified, including 6 acids, 22 alcohols, 15 aldehydes, 3 benzene derivatives, 8 esters, 3 heterocyclic compounds, 12 ketones, and 2 phenols. Among the 71 identified VOCs, inhibition of germination of C. inversicolor correlated strongly with three VOCs, i.e., 3-methylbutanoic acid, 2-pentanone as well as acetic acid. For P. roqueforti, two VOCs correlated with inhibition of germination, i.e., acetone and 2-phenylethanol, of which the latter also correlated strongly with inhibition of mycelium growth. Low half-maximal inhibitory concentrations (IC50) were especially observed for 3-methylbutanoic acid, i.e., 6.32–9.53 × 10–5 and 2.00–2.67 × 10–4 mol/L for C. inversicolor and P. roqueforti, respectively. For 2-phenylethanol, a well-known quorum sensing molecule, the IC50 was 1.99–7.49 × 10–3 and 1.73–3.45 × 10–3 mol/L for C. inversicolor and P. roqueforti, respectively. For acetic acid, the IC50 was 1.35–2.47 × 10–3 and 1.19–2.80 × 10–3 mol/L for C. inversicolor and P. roqueforti, respectively. Finally, relative weak inhibition was observed for 2-pentanone and acetone. The current study shows that native strains of D. hansenii isolated from Danish brines have antagonistic effects against specific contaminating molds and points to the development of D. hansenii strains as bioprotective cultures, targeting cheese brines and cheese surfaces.
Clinical Profile, Pharmacological Treatment, and Predictors of Death Among Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients With Acute Kidney Injury: A Population-Based Registry Analysis

Introduction: One of the worst clinical outcomes of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic was acute kidney injury (AKI). Methods: This manuscript presents results from a population-based registry study assessing treatment, comorbidities, and predictors of hospital death among COVID-19 patients with AKI from March 1st to May 31th, 2020. Death, oxygen delivery and ventilation, acute dialysis need, use of medications, and various clinical outcomes, in addition to the length of stay in the hospital and intensive care unit (ICU), were evaluated. Results: In Castile and Leon, the largest region of Spain, 10.87% of the patients admitted for COVID-19 (n = 7,307) developed AKI. These patients were known by having hypertension (57.93%), cardiovascular disease (48.99%), diabetes (26.7%) and chronic kidney disease (14.36%), and they used antibiotics (90.43%), antimalarials (60.45%), steroids (48.61%), antivirals (33.38%), anti-systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) drugs (9.45%), and tocilizumab (8.31%). Mortality among patients with AKI doubled that observed in patients without AKI (46.1 vs. 21.79%). Predictors of hospital death in COVID-19 patients with AKI were ventilation needs (OR = 5.9), treatment with steroids (OR = 1.7) or anti-SIRS (OR = 2.4), severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) occurrence (OR = 2.8), and SIRS occurrence (OR = 2.5). Conclusions: Acute kidney injury is a frequent and serious complication among COVID-19 patients, with a very high mortality, that requires more attention by treating physicians, when prescribing medications, by looking for manifestations particular to the disease, such as SARS or SIRS.
Investigation of a Model-Based Working Memory Training With and Without Distractor Inhibition and Its Comparative Efficacy: A Randomized Controlled Trial on Healthy Old Adults

Background: Various working memory (WM) trainings have been tested, but differences in experimental designs, the lack of theoretical background, and the need of identifying task-related processes such as filtering efficiency limit conclusions about their comparative efficacy. Objectives: In this study, we compared the efficacy of a model-based WM training with (MB+) and without (MB) distractor inhibition on improving WM capacity to a dual n-back and active control condition. Methods: This randomized clinical trial included 123 healthy elderly adults (78 women, 45 men; aged 64.1 ± 8.3 years). All groups underwent 12 40-min training sessions over 3 weeks and four cognitive testing sessions. The first two sessions served as double baseline to account for practice effects. Primary outcome was WM capacity post-training measured by complex span tasks. Near and far transfer was assessed by simple span, n-back, visuospatial and verbal learning, processing speed, and reasoning tasks. Results: Due to preliminary termination (COVID-19), 93 subjects completed the post-training and 60 subjects the follow-up session. On a whole group level, practice effects occurred from prebaseline to baseline in WM capacity (b = 4.85, t(103) = 4.01, p < 0.001, r = 0.37). Linear mixed-effects models revealed a difference in WM capacity post-training between MB+ and MB (b = −9.62, t(82) = −2.52, p = 0.014, r = 0.27) and a trend difference between MB+ and dual n-back (b = −7.59, t(82) = −1.87, p = 0.065, r = 0.20) and control training (b = −7.08, t(82) = −1.86, p = 0.067, r = 0.20). Univariate analyses showed an increase between pre- and post-training for WM capacity within MB+ (t(22) = −3.34, p < 0.05) only. There was no difference between groups pre- and post-training regarding near and far transfer. Univariate analyses showed improved visuospatial learning within MB+ (t(21) = −3.8, p < 0.05), improved processing speed (t(23) = 2.19, p< 0.05) and n-back performance (t(23) = 2.12, p < 0.05) in MB, and improved n-back performance (t(25) = 3.83, p < 0.001) in the dual n-back training. Interpretation: A model-based WM training including filtering efficacy may be a promising approach to increase WM capacity and needs further investigation in randomized controlled studies.
Urine NMR Metabolomics Profile of Preterm Infants With Necrotizing Enterocolitis Over the First Two Months of Life: A Pilot Longitudinal Case-Control Study

Objective: To investigate changes in the urine metabolome of very low birth weight preterm newborns with necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) and feed intolerance, we conducted a longitudinal study over the first 2 months of life. The metabolome of NEC newborns was compared with two control groups that did not develop NEC: the first one included preterm babies with feed intolerance, while the second one preterm babies with good feed tolerance. Methods: Newborns developing NEC within the 3 weeks of life were identified as early onset NEC, while the remaining as late onset NEC. Case-control matching was done according to the gestational age (±1 week), birth weight (± 200 g), and postnatal age. A total of 96 urine samples were collected and analyzed. In newborns with NEC, samples were collected before, during and after the diagnosis over the first 2 months of life, while in controls samples were collected as close as possible to the postnatal age of newborns with NEC. Proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) spectroscopy was used for metabolomic analysis. Data were analyzed by univariate and multivariate statistical analysis. Results: In all the preterm newborns, urine levels of betaine, glycine, succinate, and citrate positively correlated with postnatal age. Suberate and lactate correlated with postnatal age in preterms with NEC and in controls with food intolerance, while N,N-dimethylglycine (N,N-DMG) correlated only in controls with good digestive tolerance. Preterm controls with feed intolerance showed a progressive significant decrease of N-methylnicotinamide and carnitine. Lactate, betaine, myo-inositol, urea, creatinine, and N,N-dimethylglycine discriminated late-onset NEC from controls with good feed tolerance. Conclusion: Our findings are discussed in terms of contributions from nutritional and clinical managements of patients and gut microbiota.
Assessment of Platelet and Plasma Serotonin in Canine Pulmonary Hypertension Secondary to Degenerative Mitral Valve Disease

Background: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a common complication of degenerative mitral valve disease (DMVD), the most common cardiovascular disease in dogs. Serotonin has been suspected to play a role in the pathogenesis of PH, so this study aimed to investigate the differences in platelet and plasma serotonin between normal, DMVD and DMVD with PH (DMVD+PH) dogs. Materials and Methods: Sixty-two small-breed dogs were enrolled to the study and divided into the normal (n = 22), DMVD (n = 20), and DMVD+PH (n = 20) groups. The platelet and plasma serotonin concentrations were measured by the competitive ELISA. Results: The Kruskal–Wallis revealed the difference among the four groups of normal (179.73 [102.37–352.24] ng/109 platelets), DMVD (325.99 [96.84–407.66] ng/109 platelets), DMVD with intermediate probability of PH (291.11 [106.69–400.84] ng/109 platelets) and DMVD with high probability of PH (35.82 [2.69–126.35] ng/109 platelets) (p = 0.014). The Dunn's post-hoc test showed a decrease in the platelet serotonin concentration of the DMVD dogs with high probability of PH compared to the DMVD group (p = 0.008). The plasma serotonin concentration was not different between normal, DMVD, and DMVD+PH dogs. Conclusion: In conclusion, a decrease in platelet serotonin concentration, which is associated with a degree of PH probability was found in DMVD dogs with PH. Further studies investigating roles of platelet serotonin in PH secondary to DMVD should be performed.
Dipole-Fed Rectangular Dielectric Resonator Antennas for Magnetic Resonance Imaging at 7 T: The Impact of Quasi-Transverse Electric Modes on Transmit Field Distribution

Shortened dipole antennas based on rectangular dielectric blocks play an important role in ultrahigh field magnetic resonance imaging (UHF-MRI) radio frequency (RF) coil design. However, the generally assumed direct contact with the subject is difficult to maintain in typical in vivo settings. We have previously observed that certain dielectrically shortened dipole antennas can produce a substantially altered transmit field distribution with a very low transmit efficiency when the block and the sample are physically separated. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine a) why certain designs of dielectrically shortened dipole antennas can produce an inefficient transmit field when the block and the sample are physically separated and b) how this depends on key parameters such as rectangular block geometry, dielectric constant, loading geometry, and RF feeding. In this work, two main types of quasi-transverse dielectric modes were found in different rectangular block geometries and interpreted as T E 11 δ z (MR efficient) and T E 1 δ δ y (MR inefficient), and their impact on in vivo MRI experiments involving the human head, calf, and wrist was explored. This study shows, for the first time, why certain antennas preserve their transmit field efficiency despite physical separation from the sample. We conclude that the proposed approach has the potential to provide new insights into dipole antenna design for UHF-MRI.