Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Engaging proactive control: Influences of diverse language experiences using insights from machine learning.

We used insights from machine learning to address an important but contentious question: Is bilingual language experience associated with executive control abilities? Specifically, we assess proactive executive control for over 400 young adult bilinguals via reaction time (RT) on an AX continuous performance task (AX-CPT). We measured bilingual experience as a continuous, multidimensional spectrum (i.e., age of acquisition, language entropy, and sheer second language exposure). Linear mixed effects regression analyses indicated significant associations between bilingual language experience and proactive control, consistent with previous work. Information criteria (e.g., AIC) and cross-validation further suggested that these models are robust in predicting data from novel, unmodeled participants. These results were bolstered by cross-validated LASSO regression, a form of penalized regression. However, the results of both cross-validation procedures also indicated that similar predictive performance could be achieved through simpler models that only included information about the AX-CPT (i.e., trial type). Collectively, these results suggest that the effects of bilingual experience on proactive control, to the extent that they exist in younger adults, are likely small. Thus, future studies will require even larger or qualitatively different samples (e.g., older adults or children) in combination with valid, granular quantifications of language experience to reveal predictive effects on novel participants. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).
Otological aspects of NLRP3-related autoinflammatory disorder focusing on the responsiveness to anakinra.

OBJECTIVES Gradually progressive sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) is a prevalent sensory defect. It is generally untreatable, making rehabilitation by hearing aid or cochlear implantation the only option. However, SNHL as one of the symptoms of the hereditary autoinflammatory systemic disease cryopyrin-associated periodic syndrome, or as the only symptom of the cochlea-specific form (DFNA34), was suggested to respond to IL-1 antagonist (anakinra) therapy, which ameliorates NLRP3 variants-induced over-secretion of IL-1β. We analysed genotypic and phenotypic spectrum of cryopyrin-associated periodic syndrome or DFNA34, specifically focusing on the responsiveness of SNHL to anakinra. METHODS Seventeen families diagnosed with either cryopyrin-associated periodic syndrome or DFNA34 were recruited. Genotyping and phenotyping including audiogram, MRI findings, and in vitro IL-1β assay were performed. RESULTS Our cohort had an etiologic homogeneity of 94.1% to NLRP3 variants and a high de novo occurrence (84.6%). We identified the second DNFA34 pedigree worldwide with a novel NLRP3 variant supported by in vitro analysis. Significant improvement of hearing status against the natural course, showing response to anakinra, was identified in three probands, one of whom used to have severe SNHL. Hearing threshold worse than 60 dB at the start of anakinra and cochlear enhancement on brain MRI seemed to be related with poor audiologic prognosis and responsiveness to anakinra therapy despite stabilized systemic symptoms and inflammatory markers. CONCLUSION We propose a constellation of biomarkers comprising NLRP3 genotypes, hearing status at diagnosis, and cochlear radiological findings as prognostic factors of hearing status after anakinra treatment and possibly as sensitive parameters for treatment dosage adjustment.
Profiling of Serum Oxylipins During the Earliest Stages of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Eicosanoids modulate inflammation via complex networks involving different pathways and downstream mediators, including oxylipins. Although altered eicosanoids are linked to rheumatoid arthritis (RA), suggesting that metabolization is enhanced, the role of oxylipins in disease stratification remains unexplored. This study was undertaken to characterize oxylipin networks during the earliest stages of RA and evaluate their associations with clinical features and treatment outcomes.
Systemic Manifestations of the Periodontal Disease: A Bibliometric Review

This bibliometric review aimed to identify and analyze the top 100 most-cited publications on the systemic manifestations of periodontal disease (PD). A literature search was performed using the Web of Science (WoS) ‘All Databases’, without any restriction of language, publication year, or study design. Of 4418 articles, the top 100 were included based on their citation count. After downloading the full texts, their bibliometric information was extracted and analyzed. The citation counts for the top 100 articles ranged from 156 to 4191 (median 217). The most productive years were 2003 and 2005, with 20 articles on the list. Majority of the articles were published in the Journal of Periodontology (n = 25). The top 100 articles were generated primarily from the USA (n = 61). Most of the publications were clinical trials (n = 27) and focused on the cardiovascular manifestations of PD (n = 31). Most of the articles were within the evidence level V (n = 41). A total of 58 studies received funding and the most frequently used keyword in the top articles was “periodontal disease” (n = 39). The current citation analysis presents insights into the current trends in the systemic manifestations of periodontal disease.
Transcriptome Profiling Analyses in Psoriasis: A Dynamic Contribution of Keratinocytes to the Pathogenesis

Psoriasis is an immune-mediated inflammatory skin disease with a complex etiology involving environmental and genetic factors. A better insight into related genomic alteration helps design precise therapies leading to better treatment outcome. Gene expression in psoriasis can provide relevant information about the altered expression of mRNA transcripts, thus giving new insights into the disease onset. Techniques for transcriptome analyses, such as microarray and RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), are relevant tools for the discovery of new biomarkers as well as new therapeutic targets. This review summarizes the findings related to the contribution of keratinocytes in the pathogenesis of psoriasis by an in-depth review of studies that have examined psoriatic transcriptomes in the past years. It also provides valuable information on reconstructed 3D psoriatic skin models using cells isolated from psoriatic patients for transcriptomic studies.
Putative Mechanisms Responsible for the Antihyperglycemic Action of Lactobacillus paracasei HII01 in Experimental Type 2 Diabetic Rats

Despite the updated knowledge of the impact of gut dysbiosis on diabetes, investigations into the beneficial effects of individual bacteria are still required. This study evaluates the antihyperglycemic efficacy of Lactobacillus paracasei HII01 and its possible mechanisms in diabetic rats. Diabetic rats were assigned to receive vehicle, L. paracasei HII01 (108 CFU/day), metformin 30 (mg/kg) or a combination of L. paracasei HII01 and metformin. Normal rats given vehicle and L. paracasei HII01 were included. Metabolic parameters, including in vitro hemi-diaphragm glucose uptake, skeletal insulin-signaling proteins, plasma lipopolysaccharide (LPS), gut permeability, composition of gut microbiota and its metabolites, as well as short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), were assessed after 12 weeks of experiment. The results clearly demonstrated that L. paracasei HII01 improved glycemic parameters, glucose uptake, insulin-signaling proteins including pAktSer473, glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) and phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase (pAMPKThr172), tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α) and nuclear factor-κB (NF-kB) in diabetic rats. Modulation of gut microbiota was found together with improvement in leaky gut, endotoxemia and SCFAs in diabetic rats administered L. paracasei HII01. In conclusion, L. paracasei HII01 alleviated hyperglycemia in diabetic rats primarily by modulating gut microbiota along with lessening leaky gut, leading to improvement in endotoxemia and inflammation-disturbed insulin signaling, which was mediated partly by PI3K/Akt signaling and AMPK activation.
A New Endemic of Concomitant Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Chronic Hepatitis B

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection remains a global public problem despite the availability of an effective vaccine. In the past decades, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has surpassed HBV as the most common cause of chronic liver disease worldwide. The prevalence of concomitant chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and NAFLD thus reaches endemic proportions in geographic regions where both conditions are common. Patients with CHB and NAFLD are at increased risk of liver disease progression to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Due to the complexity of the pathogenesis, accurate diagnosis of NAFLD in CHB patients can be challenging. Liver biopsy is considered the gold standard for diagnosing and determining disease severity, but it is an invasive procedure with potential complications. There is a growing body of literature on the application of novel noninvasive serum biomarkers and advanced radiological modalities to diagnose and evaluate NAFLD, but most have not been adequately validated, especially for patients with CHB. Currently, there is no approved therapy for NAFLD, although many new agents are in different phases of development. This review provides a summary of the epidemiology, clinical features, diagnosis, and management of the NAFLD and highlights the unmet needs in the areas of CHB and NAFLD coexistence.
Survey of healthcare providers' practices and opinions regarding bacterial STI testing among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men.

BACKGROUND Rates of bacterial STIs continue to rise among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM) globally. Testing and treatment can prevent morbidity and transmission. However, testing rates remain suboptimal. METHODS In 2018, we conducted an online cross-sectional survey to explore STI testing ordering practices, 14 potential barriers for testing and 11 possible ways to improve testing from the perspective of healthcare providers in Toronto, Ontario. An estimated 172 providers were invited from primary care and sexual health clinic settings. Providers were eligible to complete the survey if they provided care for ≥1 GBMSM per week and were involved in the decision-making process in providing STI tests. We used descriptive statistics to summarize survey responses. RESULTS Ninety-five providers (55% response rate) participated, of whom 68% worked in primary care and 32% in sexual health settings. Most (66%) saw ≤ 10 GBMSM clients per week. In primary care (65%) and sexual health (40%) clinic settings, insufficient consultation time was the most common barrier to STI testing. In primary care, other common barriers included difficulty introducing testing during unrelated consultations (53%), forgetting (47%), and patients being sexually inactive (31%) or declining testing (27%). The following were most likely to improve testing: express/fast-track testing services (89%); provider alerts when patients are due for testing (87%); patient-collected specimens (84%); nurse-led STI testing (79%); and standing orders (79%). CONCLUSION Promising interventions to improve bacterial STI testing included initiatives that simplify and expedite testing and expand testing delivery to other healthcare professionals.
The role of faith-based health professions schools in Cameroon’s health system

ABSTRACT Faith-based health professions schools contribute to the training of staff in many Sub-Saharan African countries. Yet little is known about these actors, their role in the health system, potential comparative advantages and challenges faced. This is a qualitative study drawing on 24 qualitative interviews and 3 focus group discussions. Participants included faith-based health professions schools, staff at faith-based health professions schools, Ministry of Health officials and donors. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. The findings reveal that understanding of faith-based health professions schools held by donors and the Ministry of Health rest on a set of assumptions rather than evidence-backed knowledge and that knowledge on key aspects is missing (not least on the market share of such actors). This suggests that collaboration with and oversight of these non-state schools is limited, raising questions about the balance of state regulation and control in the public-private mix for training health workers. Linked to this weak oversight, the findings also raise concerns over a number of problematic activities at these schools, unaccredited training programmes and the presence of missionary volunteers whose presence and actions are rarely interrogated.
“That’s No Longer Tolerated”: Policing Patients’ Use of Non-opioid Substances in Methadone Maintenance Treatment

ABSTRACT The current overdose crisis in the United States emphasizes the importance of providing substance use treatment programs that are not only effective but tailored to meet the specific needs of the populations they serve. While Methadone Maintenance Treatment (MMT) is considered to be among the best strategies for reducing rates of opioid-involved overdose, its ability to attract and maintain patients may be hindered by a recent focus on policing the non-opioid substance use of people on the program. This paper uses interview data from treatment providers to examine how clinicians conceptualize and organize MMT in regards to patients’ use of non-opioid drugs. Responses demonstrate that some treatment providers are increasingly monitoring their patients’ use of non-opioid substances and punishing them for infractions, up to and including discharge from treatment. This approach will likely result in increasing rates of patient dropout and a lack of new admissions among people who use non-opioid substances. This article argues that including non-opioid substances in MMT’s mandate restricts its ability to improve public health, including by preventing overdoses, and recommends instead that MMT adopt a more individualized approach, shaped by the needs and goals of the patient rather than those of the clinician.
Behavioural response of winged aphids to visual contrasts in the field

To test the behavioural response of winged aphid spring migrants to visual contrasts, we conducted a field trial in which water traps (painted in seven different shades of green and yellow) were set up on uncovered soil and on coloured boards (also painted in seven different colours including black, brown and various shades of green). In total, 56 trap–background combinations were tested. Out of the 4904 aphid individuals caught, 64.5% belonged to Aphis ssp. Using spectral measurements of both traps and backgrounds, as well as information on insect spectral sensitivity, an empirical colour choice model was built based on photoreceptor adaptation to the background, and colour opponency of the green and blue photoreceptor. Specifically, the visual input variable C* represents the difference between green–blue colour opponency values of the trap and the background. When C* > 0, the number of aphids linearly increased with C*. The model explained 64% of the behavioural response of the aphids. Applied to intercropping scenarios of sugar beet, the behavioural model showed a higher visual attractivity of a monocrop sugar beet than intercropped sugar beet. Implications for the use of mulches and for increasing plant diversity in cropping systems are discussed.
Biosensors Show Promise as a Measure of Student Engagement in a Large Introductory Biology Course

This study measured student engagement in real time through the use of skin biosensors, specifically galvanic skin response (GSR), in a large undergraduate lecture classroom. The study was conducted during an intervention in an introductory-level biology course (N = 420) in which one section of the course was taught with active-learning approaches and the other with traditional didactic teaching. GSR results were aligned and correlated with the Classroom Observation Protocol for Undergraduate STEM, or COPUS, and student self-reflections on their own engagement. Results showed that the active-learning section spent more time working in groups, resulting in GSR measures that trended higher and self-reported engagement, while showing indications of higher content learning gains compared with the traditional lecture section. Comparisons between COPUS scores and GSR readings indicate that engagement increased during group work and decreased during listening activities. Throughout a class period, GSR activity of the active-learning group showed increased trends compared with baseline measures, while the traditional lecture group showed decreased trends. Results indicate that GSR is a promising measure of real-time student engagement in the undergraduate classroom, bringing a new technique to discipline-based education researchers who aim to better measure student engagement; however, some limitations exist for broad-scale implementation.
Neutralizing antibody response elicited by SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain

ABSTRACT A safe and effective vaccine candidate is urgently needed for the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, caused by SARS-CoV-2. Here we report that recombinant SARS-CoV-2 RBD protein immunization in mice is able to elicit a strong antibody response and potent neutralizing capability as measured using live or pseudotyped SARS-CoV-2 neutralization assays.
Size at Sexual Maturity, Reproductive Output, and Seasonal Reproduction of Philocheras Trispinosus (Decapoda) in Port Erin Bay, Isle of Man

ABSTRACT Aspects of the reproductive biology of the crangonid shrimp Philocheras trispinosus were studied. Size of female maturity was determined from the proportions of ovigerous females and of females with maturing ovaries. The size at which 50% of females are mature is estimated (±95% confidence intervals) as 3.69 ± 0.56-mm carapace length. Brood weight and fecundity were related isometrically with female body size. Based on dry weight, the reproductive output (mass of incubating eggs/mass of female) averaged 0.24. The main spawning season (percentage ovigerous > 50%), from March-August, was reflected by monthly values of the gonad index >9. The ovarian dry weight of females with eggs near to hatching was nearly fivefold higher than for those with newly laid eggs, and the ovarian dry weight was significantly different between each egg stage. This indicates that ovarian maturation occurs during incubation, suggesting that females were potentially consecutive breeders, capable of multiple spawning within a single reproductive season.
Exploring Attitudes to Conception in Partners and Young Women with Gynecologic Cancers Treated by Fertility Sparing Surgery

Background: Approximately 20% of women with gynecologic cancers are under age 40 and with delayed childbearing, women may be diagnosed before their first pregnancy. Although fertility preservation is a priority for many women, attitudes to conception have not previously been investigated in these patients or their partners. We explored attitudes to conception in partners and young women, following fertility preserving treatment for gynecologic cancers. Methods: A total of 16 telephone interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of patients who had had an early stage gynecologic cancer or borderline ovarian tumor treated by fertility sparing surgery in Western Australia between January 1st, 2005 to December 31st, 2016. The interviews were audio recorded, transcribed and thematic analysis was conducted. Results: Four main themes were identified: (i) Emotions at diagnosis and perception of information given; (ii) Discussions of fertility and factors affecting childbearing; (iii) Role of partners in decision making and relationship pressures; (iv) Decision for treatment and postoperative regrets. Conclusions: Regret and relationship breakdown were commonly reported. Women need appropriate support including inviting their partners to attend clinic appointments and may need several appointments before treatment. Regret was commonly reported by women who opted for completion surgery.
Awake endoscopic assessment of the upper airway during tidal breathing: Definition of anatomical features and comparison with drug‐induced sleep endoscopy

Awake nasopharyngoscopy is routinely performed in the assessment of patients who require treatment for sleep‐disordered breathing (SDB). However, the applicability and accuracy of Müller's manoeuvre, the main evaluation method for this purpose, are disputable. The current study aimed to introduce an alternative method for awake nasopharyngoscopy in patients with SDB.
Heterosis Studies in Radish (Raphanus Satfvus L.)

Heterosis in 36 crosses of radish was studied for seven characters. Pusa Chetki × Giant Red was the best cross showing the maximum heterosis for plant weight, root weight, root length and root diameter, whereas second best cross was Pusa Chetki × Pusa Desi showing high heterosis for plant weight and root weight.
The Development of Ocular Biometric Parameters in Premature Infants without Retinopathy of Prematurity

ABSTRACT Purpose The aim of this study was to investigate the developmental tendencies and distribution of ocular biometric parameters in premature infants without retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). Axial length (AL), anterior chamber depth (ACD), lens thickness (LT) and vitreous length (VL) were measured, and their relationships with birth weight (BW) and postmenstrual age (PMA) were analyzed during their earliest weeks of life. Methods This cross-sectional cohort study included 633 premature infants. They were divided into nine groups according to their PMA: 32 weeks, 33 weeks, 34 weeks, and onward to 40 weeks. All participants underwent portable slit-lamp examination, RetCam3 and A-scan ultrasound biometry. The following ocular biometric parameters were recorded: AL, ACD, LT and VL. The t-test, one-way analysis of variance, and the multiple regression analysis model were used to analyze the data. Results The increases in AL, ACD, LT and VL were 0.14 mm, 0.028 mm, 0.0025 mm and 0.11 mm per week, respectively. AL, ACD, LT and VL were positively correlated with BW (β = 0.000337, 4.234E-5, 2.697E-5, 0.000278, respectively) and PMA (β = 0.142, 0.026, 0.011, 0.103, respectively). Conclusions With maturation, AL and VL increased and ACD deepened, but there was no significant change in LT. The ocular growth parameters were positively correlated with BW and PMA however the correlations were not strong.