Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Executive Functions and Impulsivity as Transdiagnostic Correlates of Psychopathology in Childhood: A Behavioral Genetic Analysis

Executive functions (EFs) and impulsivity are dimensions of self-regulation that are both related to psychopathology. However, self-report measures of impulsivity and laboratory EF tasks typically display small correlations, and existing research indicates that impulsivity and EFs may tap separate aspects of self-regulation that independently statistically predict psychopathology in adulthood. However, relationships between EFs, impulsivity, and psychopathology may be different in childhood compared to adulthood. Here, we examine whether these patterns hold in the baseline assessment of the Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development (ABCD) sample, a national sample of over 11,000 children (including 749 twin pairs) ages 9–10 years. We examine the phenotypic and genetic relationships among latent variables for different components of EFs and multiple facets of impulsivity. Additionally, we assess how EFs and impulsivity relate to composite measures and latent variables of psychopathology derived from parent report. EFs were weakly correlated with impulsivity, and the strength varied by impulsivity facet, emphasizing their separability. We did not identify significant genetic and environmental correlations between EFs and impulsivity. Moreover, controlling for their small relationships with each other, both EFs and some facets of impulsivity statistically predicted an Externalizing factor, attention problems, and social problems, and twin analyses suggested these relationships were genetic in origin. These findings indicate that EFs and impulsivity represent phenotypically and genetically separable aspects of self-regulation that are both transdiagnostic correlates of psychopathology in childhood.
Transition to secondary progressive multiple sclerosis: The consequences for patients and healthcare systems, a healthcare professional survey

Transition to secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS) from relapsing‐remitting MS (RRMS) is an expected part of the disease trajectory for most patients. However, the transition is challenging to identify due to the gradual nature of progression, and the complications of superimposed relapses, comorbidities, and natural variability in symptoms. This healthcare professional (HCP) survey sought to characterize the transition to and management of SPMS in UK clinical practice.
Effect of Microstructure on the Onset Strain and Rate per Strain of Deformation-Induced Martensite Transformation in Q&P Steel by Modeling

The effect of microstructure on the onset strain and rate of deformation-induced martensitic transformation (DIMT) in Q&P steel is studied by a mean-field micromechanics model, in which the residual austenite (RA) and primary martensite (M) phases are treated as elastoplastic particles embedded into the ferrite (F) matrix. The results show that when the volume fraction of the RA increases with a constant fraction of the M, the onset strain of DIMT increases and transformation rate decreases, in contrast to the case of the RA fraction effect with a fixed F fraction. Increasing the volume fraction of the M postpones the DIMT, regardless of the corresponding change from the RA or F fraction, which is similar to the effect of the RA fraction with the constant M but to a higher degree. Conversely, when increasing the fraction of the matrix F, the onset strain of DIMT increases and the rate decreases, and the effect is greater when the corresponding fraction change comes from the M rather than from the RA. Moreover, when the aspect ratio of the RA increases, the onset strain of DIMT decreases with a gradual increase in transformation rate, in agreement with the experimental observation that the equiaxial austenite is more stable in Q&P steels. However, the aspect ratio effect of the M is opposite to that of the RA, indicating that the lath-shaped primary martensite could protect the austenite from DIMT.
RT-PCR Testing of Organ Culture Medium for Corneal Storage Fails to Detect SARS-CoV-2 Infection Due to Lack of Viral Replication

Concerns of possible transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from donors to patients by corneal transplantation have caused a decline in corneal transplantations. Graft culture media are routinely tested for infectious risks, but it is unclear whether this constitutes a viable means to avoid transmitting SARS-CoV-2 via keratoplasty. We found that SARS-CoV-2 RNA was not present in the medium after seven days of organ culture of corneas from donors (n = 4), who were SARS-CoV-2-positive upon tissue procurement. These medium samples showed no presence of viral RNA. To pursue this question under controlled conditions and further exclude the possibility of productive infection in corneal grafts, we inoculated corneoscleral discs from healthy donors (n = 8) with infectious SARS-CoV-2 and performed PCR testing of the culture medium at various time points. After seven days of culture, we also tested for SARS-CoV-2 RNA within the inoculated corneal tissue. The medium from tissue samples inoculated with SARS-CoV-2 showed no increase in viral RNA, which may indicate lack of viral replication in these corneal grafts. SARS-CoV-2-RNA was, however, detected on or in corneal tissue seven days after inoculation. Our data suggest that corneal grafts may not be permissive for replication of SARS-CoV-2 and demonstrates that PCR testing of culture media cannot safely exclude that tissue has been exposed to SARS-CoV-2. It also demonstrates the difficulty to differentiate between virus adherence and virus replication by PCR testing in SARS-CoV-2 exposed tissue.
Patterns and Predictors of Medication Change after Discharge from Hospital: An Observational Study in Older Adults with Neurological Disorders

Background: Medication is often changed after inpatient treatment, which affects the course of the disease, health behavior and adherence. Thus, it is important to understand patterns of medication changes after discharge from hospital. Methods: Inpatients at the Department of Neurology received a comprehensive assessment during their stay, including adherence, depression, cognition, health and sociodemographic variables. A month after being discharged, patients were contacted to enquire about post-discharge medication changes. Results: 910 older adults aged 70 ± 8.6 years participated, of which 204 (22.4%) reported medication changes. The majority of changes were initiated by physicians (n = 112, 56.3%) and only 25 (12.6%) patients reported adjusting medication themselves. Reasons for medication changes differed between patients and doctors (p < 0.001), with side effects or missing effects cited frequently. Sociodemographic and patient-related factors did not significantly predict medication changes. Conclusion: Patients reported less post-discharge medication changes than expected, and contrary to previous literature on nonadherence, only a fraction of those changes were performed by patients themselves. Socioeconomic and clinical parameters regarding personality, mood and cognition were poorly associated with post-discharge medication changes. Instead, individual health-related factors play a role, with patient factors only indirectly influencing physicians’ decisions.
DOTA: Deep Learning Optimal Transport Approach to Advance Drug Repositioning for Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the leading cause of age-related dementia, affecting over 5 million people in the United States and incurring a substantial global healthcare cost. Unfortunately, current treatments are only palliative and do not cure AD. There is an urgent need to develop novel anti-AD therapies; however, drug discovery is a time-consuming, expensive, and high-risk process. Drug repositioning, on the other hand, is an attractive approach to identify drugs for AD treatment. Thus, we developed a novel deep learning method called DOTA (Drug repositioning approach using Optimal Transport for Alzheimer’s disease) to repurpose effective FDA-approved drugs for AD. Specifically, DOTA consists of two major autoencoders: (1) a multi-modal autoencoder to integrate heterogeneous drug information and (2) a Wasserstein variational autoencoder to identify effective AD drugs. Using our approach, we predict that antipsychotic drugs with circadian effects, such as quetiapine, aripiprazole, risperidone, suvorexant, brexpiprazole, olanzapine, and trazadone, will have efficacious effects in AD patients. These drugs target important brain receptors involved in memory, learning, and cognition, including serotonin 5-HT2A, dopamine D2, and orexin receptors. In summary, DOTA repositions promising drugs that target important biological pathways and are predicted to improve patient cognition, circadian rhythms, and AD pathogenesis.
Species Paraphyly and Social Parasitism: Phylogenomics, Morphology, and Geography Clarify the Evolution of the Pseudomyrmex elongatulus Group (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), a Mesoamerican Ant Clade

Abstract Using genetic, morphological, and geographical evidence, we investigate the species-level taxonomy and evolutionary history of the Pseudomyrmex elongatulus group, a clade of ants distributed from southwestern United States to Costa Rica. Through targeted enrichment of 2,524 UCE (ultraconserved element) loci we generate a phylogenomic data set and clarify the phylogenetic relationships and biogeographic history of these ants. The crown group is estimated to have originated ∼8 Ma, in Mexico and/or northern Central America, and subsequently expanded into southern Central America and the southwestern Nearctic.The P. elongatulus group contains a mix of low- and high-elevation species, and there were apparently multiple transitions between these habitat types. We uncover three examples of one species—of restricted or marginal geographical distribution—being embedded phylogenetically in another species, rendering the latter paraphyletic. One of these cases involves an apparent workerless social parasite that occurs sympatrically with its parent species, with the latter serving as host. This suggests a sympatric origin of the parasite species within the distribution range of its host. Species boundaries are tested using three molecular delimitation approaches (SODA, bPTP, BPP) but these methods generate inflated species estimates (26–46 species), evidently because of a failure to distinguish population structure from species differences. In a formal taxonomic revision of the P. elongatulus group, based on almost 3,000 specimens from ∼625 localities, we allow for geographic variation within species and we employ distinctness-in-sympatry criteria for testing hypotheses about species limits. Under these guidelines we recognize 13 species, of which nine are new: P. arcanus, sp. nov. (western Mexico); P. capillatus, sp. nov. (western Mexico); P. cognatus, sp. nov. (Chiapas, Mexico to Nicaragua); P. comitator, sp. nov. (Chiapas, Mexico); P. ereptor, sp. nov. (Veracruz, Mexico); P. exoratus, sp. nov. (southeastern Mexico, Honduras); P. fasciatus, sp. nov. (Chiapas, Mexico to Costa Rica); P. nimbus, sp. nov. (Costa Rica); and P. veracruzensis, sp. nov. (Veracruz, Mexico). Our study highlights the value of combining phylogenomic, phenotypic, and geographical data to resolve taxonomic and evolutionary questions.
Do ISO Certifications Enhance Internationalization? The Case of Portuguese Industrial SMEs

In the last decades, the academic literature has devoted considerable attention to the determinants of export performance. In result of those research efforts in identifying and examining the influence of such determinants, the literature presents a wide set of variables associated with higher levels of exports. This paper provides a contribution to that literature by trying to evidence the impact of firm certification—namely, in terms of the firm’s quality, environmental, and health and safety management systems—on export performance. The paper analyses an unbalanced sample of 1684 Portuguese industrial SMEs for the period 2010 to 2020, uses other determinants of internationalization as control variables, and explores the possibility of moderating effects on the certification–internationalization relationship. Two alternative econometric methods are employed: a random-effects model and a Tobit model. The results evidence the importance for firms, especially in the low or medium–low technology sectors, to have certain ISO certifications in order to further develop their export activities and increase their foreign acceptance, particularly in the European Union markets. Further, certification seems to reinforce the positive relation between firm size and internationalization.
The geographical and social distribution of native languages in central Ukraine

By declaring a language as their native language or mother tongue, people carry out an act of identification with this language, and via this language with people and ideas to whom they assign the same language. This comes to the fore especially when external conflicts are transferred to the linguistic constellation. This is the case in Ukraine, where three languages / codes are at the disposal: the state’s official language Ukrainian, but also Russian, and “suržyk”, a widespread form of speech containing both Ukrainian and Russian elements. Based on a survey from 2014 in the central regions of Ukraine, this article examines which of these languages / codes are chosen as a native language and how this choice is connected with more objective aspects of language use. By means of generative additive mixed-effects modeling, it will be shown how this choice varies both socially and geographically.
Determination of IgG and IgM against COVID- 19 for Recovered Patients at Different Intervals and by Different Techniques

The research aimed to determine the concentrations of IgG and IgM antibodies for different intervals after recovery from Covid-19, namely 4, 6 and 8 months; the research also aimed to identify the accordance between two types of immunity techniques used to identify the existence of antibodies. The results showed the existence of IgG antibodies with a percentage of (94.03%), and IgM antibodies with a percentage of 55.22% in individuals under study when using ELISA technique. The percentages of these antibodies were (86.56%) for IgG and (16.42%) for IgM when using Rapid test cassette in diagnosis; the matching was 67% between the two methods. Samples of the control group also showed the presence of IgG and IgM with percentages of 68% and 88% respectively.The average concentrations of IgG antibodies were 33.05, 43.21 and 37.53 after 4, 6 and 8 months after infection respectively; the peak was at the 6th month after infection. The averages of IgM were 14.45, 18.52 and 19.18 after 4, 6 and 8 months of being infected respectively; the peak was at the 8th month after infection.
Effect of Combined Balance Exercises and Kinesio Taping on Balance, Postural Stability, and Severity of Ankle Instability in Female Athletes with Functional Ankle Instability

Ankle sprain is a common musculoskeletal injury, and recurrent ankle sprains often lead to ankle instability. This study aimed to examine whether a 6-week balance training on a wobble board (WB) combined with kinesio taping (KT) is effective in improving balance, postural stability, and ankle stability among female athletes with functional ankle instability (FAI). Twenty-four female athletes with FAI were randomly assigned to study (SG) or control groups (CG). SG attended a 6-week training protocol of combined balance training on the wobble board with KT applied to ankles during exercise. CG only went through a 6-week balance training procedure that was the same as the SG. Before and after the training program, balance and postural stability and the severity of ankle instability were assessed by single-leg Biodex Balance system and Cumberland Ankle Instability Tool (CAIT), respectively. The analysis revealed that the scores of balance and postural stability decreased after the 6-week training for CG (p = 0.002) and SG (p = 0.001), which indicates an improvement for these variables, and the score of CAIT increased, which means the severity of instability reduced (p = 0.001 for both groups). Significant between-group differences were found for balance and postural stability (t = 2.79, p = 0.011, g = −1.99) and the severity of instability (t = 2.082, p = 0.049, g = 1.36), favoring SG compared with CG. This study showed that the addition of KT to balance training is more effective than balance training alone in improving balance, postural stability, and severity of ankle instability in female athletes with FAI. Our findings could provide a preliminary reference for designing combined balance and KT programs for delivering health benefits to females with FAI.
Online course experiences matter: adapting and applying the CEQ to the online teaching context during COVID-19 in China

Abstract This paper reports two consecutive studies investigating Chinese students’ course experiences of online teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic. With a sample of 2,894 undergraduate students from 12 universities, Study one adapted the Course Experience Questionnaire in the context of online teaching and learning, and provided some evidence supporting the psychometric qualities of the refined six-factor, 33-item Chinese version of the Online Course Experience Questionnaire. Using this scale, Study two examined the relationships between students’ course experiences and their efficacy for completing online learning tasks and satisfaction with online teaching with a sample of 6,299 students from four universities. In general, the results showed that the Online Course Experience Questionnaire is a reliable and valid tool for assessing the quality of online teaching. After controlling for students’ demographic variables, various factors of students’ online course experiences were significantly associated with their academic efficacy for and satisfaction with online teaching. The results call for attention to the roles of clear goals and standards, emphasis on independence, and appropriate assessment in online teaching. These findings enrich the current knowledge of students’ course experience, and have implications for the improvement of online teaching during and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.
BMP7 Functions to Regulate Proliferation of Dermal Papilla Cells in Hu Sheep

Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) are the structurally similar and highly conserved type of functional proteins that play an important role in hair follicle growth and development. BMP7 was a differentially expressed gene in different patterns of Hu sheep lambskin identified using Agilent microarray. Since hair follicle is the basis of pattern formation of lambskin, and its growth and development is governed by dermal papilla cells (DPCs), to clarify the role of BMP7 and hair follicle, our study was designed to investigate the regulation between BMP7 and DPCs. Firstly, the CDS region of BMP7 was cloned by 3’Race and PCR in Hu sheep and performed serious of bioinformatic analysis. Then, the effects of BMP7 on DPCs were analyzed after overexpression and interference of BMP7 in dermal papilla cells by CCK8, EdU, and PI assay. Additionally, qPCR was also conducted to clarify the relationship between BMP7 and the TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway. A total of 1296 bp of the BMP7 CDS region sequence was sucessfully cloned in Hu sheep, encoding a signal peptide of 431 amino acids, molecular weight was 49,316.9 Da and the isoelectric point (Pi) was 7.75. Nucleotide sequencing analysis of BMP7 revealed that Hu sheep had high homology with Bos taurus, Homo sapiens, and Canis lupus familiaris. Structure domain prediction showed that TGF-β superfamily domain exist between 330th–431th amino acid, BMP7 protein is a secreted protein. In BMP7 up-regulated DPCs, DPCs proliferation rate and cell cycle were significantly higher than that of NC group (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, the expression level of Smad3, Smad4, Samd6, and TGF-β1 in TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway were significantly lower than that in NC group (p < 0.05). In BMP7 down-regulated DPCs, it presented the opposite result. In conclusion, our study showed that BMP7 had a positive effect on DPCs by accelerating the proliferation and cell cycle of DPCs, and hypothesized that regulate hair follicles growth and development via TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway. These findings may provide a synergistic target for the subsequent research of hair follicle growth and development.
Antibiotic Resistance Patterns and Association With the Influenza Season in the United States: A Multicenter Evaluation Reveals Surprising Associations Between Influenza Season and Resistance in Gram-Negative Pathogens

Abstract Background Viral infections are often treated with empiric antibiotics due to suspected bacterial coinfections, leading to antibiotic overuse. We aimed to describe antibiotic resistance (ABR) trends and their association with the influenza season in ambulatory and inpatient settings in the United States. Methods We used the BD Insights Research Database to evaluate antibiotic susceptibility profiles in 30-day nonduplicate bacterial isolates collected from patients >17 years old at 257 US healthcare institutions from 2011 to 2019. We investigated ABR in Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pneumoniae) and Gram-negative (Enterobacterales [ENT], Pseudomonas aeruginosa [PSA], and Acinetobacter baumannii spp [ACB]) bacteria expressed as the proportion of isolates not susceptible ([NS], intermediate or resistant) and resistance per 100 admissions (inpatients only). Antibiotics included carbapenems (Carb), fluoroquinolones (FQ), macrolides, penicillin, extended-spectrum cephalosporins (ESC), and methicillin. Generalized estimating equations models were used to evaluate monthly trends in ABR outcomes and associations with community influenza rates. Results We identified 8 250 860 nonduplicate pathogens, including 154 841 Gram-negative Carb-NS, 1 502 796 Gram-negative FQ-NS, 498 012 methicillin-resistant S aureus (MRSA), and 44 131 NS S pneumoniae. All S pneumoniae rates per 100 admissions (macrolide-, penicillin-, and ESC-NS) were associated with influenza rates. Respiratory, but not nonrespiratory, MRSA was also associated with influenza. For Gram-negative pathogens, influenza rates were associated with the percentage of FQ-NS ENT, FQ-NS PSA, and Carb-NS ACB. Conclusions Our study showed expected increases in rates of ABR Gram-positive and identified small but surprising increases in ABR Gram-negative pathogens associated with influenza activity. These insights may help inform antimicrobial stewardship initiatives.
Complementary Nutrients in Decoupled Aquaponics Enhance Basil Performance

Aquaponics combines raising fish and growing plants by recycling water and nutrients to reduce water consumption and reliance on chemical fertilizers. Coupled aquaponics systems recirculate water between fish and plant crops, whereas decoupled systems send mineralized fish effluent and wastewater unidirectionally to an independent hydroponic loop. Decoupling enables changes to the water, such as pH adjustments and complementary nutrient additions, to promote plant performance. In this study, basil, Ocimum basilicum (L.), was transplanted into 4 L containers filled with decoupled aquaponic (DAP), nutrient-complemented decoupled aquaponic (DAP+), or chemical-based conventional hydroponic (CON) nutrient solutions and grown for 21 days at pH 5.8. Plants grown in DAP+ and CON had greater biomass, height, and Soil Plant Analysis Development (SPAD) chlorophyll index and lower root:shoot biomass ratios than those in DAP. Shoot fresh and dry biomass was 11% greater for CON than DAP+, while height, SPAD chlorophyll index, and root:shoot ratio did not differ. We concluded that added nutrients in DAP+ enhanced performance compared to DAP, and the biologically derived nutrition in DAP+ enhanced performance to be similar, but not equal, to CON. We cannot recommend specific adjustments to the targeted blend of complementary nutrients tested, but findings suggest that complementary nutrients are effective in decoupled aquaponics.