Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Intermittent fasting has a diet-specific impact on the gut microbiota and colonic mucin O-glycosylation of mice

The colonic mucus layer and microbiota adhered to it are vital for mediating host metabolic, immune, and gut health. Yet, how intermittent fasting impacts these microbial communities and O-glycosylation of mucin proteins, the predominant component of the colonic mucus layer, remains largely unexplored. Here, using a C57BL/6J mouse model fed either a high-fat diet or normal chow, we examined the impact of a two-day a week fasting regimen on host physiology, faecal and colonic mucosal microbiota, and mucin O-glycosylation. Our results demonstrated distinct diet-specific impacts of intermittent fasting on host physiology; mice fed the high-fat diet had a lower body weight and improved glucose tolerance upon fasting, whilst there were no significant changes in mice fed the normal chow. This was observed despite the similar feed and energy intake between groups with and without fasting. There were significant changes in the faecal and colonic mucosal microbiota community structure and composition, and mucin O-glycosylation upon fasting in both dietary groups, but the specific nature of these alterations was diet-dependent. Correlation analysis revealed significant associations between fasting-mediated changes in the abundance of specific mucosal bacteria and O-glycan structures. While intermittent fasting is a popular means of extending healthy life expectancy, there is a lack of information on its impacts on the mucosal microbiota and colonic mucus layer, which are key determinants of gut health. Our study addresses this knowledge gap and serves as the first report on how intermittent fasting influences colonic mucin O-glycosylation and the associations between mucosal glycans and bacteria.
The trophic pyramid revisited: most animal classes have more predator than herbivore species

According to the trophic pyramid, a large array of herbivores (primary consumers) feed an increasingly narrower array of predators, from secondary consumers to top predators. However, the partitioning between herbivory and predation across the animal kingdom has not yet been tested at the global scale. Here, we use a survey of 33,762 animal species across ten major taxonomic groups (five vertebrates and five invertebrates) to partition food sources at the class and phylum levels. We use this partitioning, together with class-level biomass estimates, to create a global trophic pyramid of biomass. We show that: (1) the diet of eight of the ten groups of animals is dominated by prey rather than plants, accounting for 64-99% of the diet mass; (2) collectively across the terrestrial and marine environments, secondary consumers (invertivores; ∼1200 Mt C) have higher biomass than primary consumers (herbivores; ∼500 Mt C); (3) the two major exceptions, feeding mostly on plants, are mammals and insects; the latter form the major food source for terrestrial animals. For animal species in most classes, plants are not a food source, but rather invertebrates, mostly arthropods. Secondary consumers (invertivores) link primary consumers and top predators, and are hence pivotal to almost all food-webs.
Molecular acclimation of Halobacterium salinarum to halite brine inclusions

Halophilic microorganisms have long been known to survive within the brine inclusions of salt crystals, as evidenced by their pigmentation. However, the molecular mechanisms allowing this survival has remained an open question for decades. While protocols for the surface sterilization of halite (NaCl) have enabled isolation of cells and DNA from within halite brine inclusions, “-omics” based approaches have faced two main technical challenges: (1) removal of all contaminating organic biomolecules (including proteins) from halite surfaces, and (2) performing selective biomolecule extractions directly from cells contained within halite brine inclusions with sufficient speed to avoid modifications in gene expression during extraction. In this study, we present methods to resolve these two technical challenges. In addition, we apply these methods to perform the first examination of the early acclimation of a model haloarchaeon (Halobacterium salinarum NRC-1) to halite brine inclusions. Examinations of the proteome of Halobacterium cells two months post-evaporation revealed a high degree of similarity with stationary phase liquid cultures, but with a sharp down-regulation of ribosomal proteins. Low quantities of RNA from halite brine inclusions corroborate the hypothesis of low transcriptional and translational activities. While proteins for central metabolism were part of the shared proteome between liquid cultures and halite brine inclusions, proteins involved in cell mobility (archaellum, gas vesicles) were either absent or less abundant in halite samples. Proteins unique to cells within brine inclusions included transporters, suggesting modified interactions between cells and the surrounding brine inclusion microenvironment. The methods and hypotheses presented here enable future studies of the survival of halophiles in both culture model and natural halite systems.
SARS-CoV-2 and HSV-1 Induce Amyloid Aggregation in Human CSF

The corona virus (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic and the resulting long-term neurological complications in patients, known as long COVID, have renewed the interest in the correlation between viral infections and neurodegenerative brain disorders. While many viruses can reach the central nervous system (CNS) causing acute or chronic infections (such as herpes simplex virus 1, HSV-1), the lack of a clear mechanistic link between viruses and protein aggregation into amyloids, a characteristic of several neurodegenerative diseases, has rendered such a connection elusive. Recently, we showed that viruses can induce aggregation of purified amyloidogenic proteins via the direct physicochemical mechanism of heterogenous nucleation (HEN). In the current study, we show that the incubation of HSV-1 and SARS-CoV-2 with human cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leads to the amyloid aggregation of several proteins known to be involved in neurodegenerative diseases, such as: APLP1 (amyloid beta precursor like protein 1), ApoE, clusterin, α2-macroglobulin, PGK-1 (phosphoglycerate kinase 1), ceruloplasmin, nucleolin, 14-3-3, transthyretin and vitronectin. Importantly, UV-inactivation of SARS-CoV-2 does not affect its ability to induce amyloid aggregation, as amyloid formation is dependent on viral surface catalysis via HEN and not its ability to replicate. Our results show that viruses can physically induce amyloid aggregation of proteins in human CSF, and thus providing a potential mechanism that may account for the association between persistent and latent/reactivating brain infections and neurodegenerative diseases.
Semantic and population analysis of the genetic targets related to COVID-19 and its association with genes and diseases

SARS-CoV-2 is a coronavirus responsible for one of the most serious, modern worldwide pandemics, with lasting and multi-faceted effects. By late 2021, SARS-CoV-2 has infected more than 180 million people and has killed more than 3 million. The virus gains entrance to human cells through binding to ACE2 via its surface spike protein and causes a complex disease of the respiratory system, termed COVID-19. Vaccination efforts are being made to hinder the viral spread and therapeutics are currently under development. Towards this goal, scientific attention is shifting towards variants and SNPs that affect factors of the disease such as susceptibility and severity. This genomic grammar, tightly related to the dark part of our genome, can be explored through the use of modern methods such as natural language processing. We present a semantic analysis of SARS-CoV-2 related publications, which yielded a repertoire of SNPs, genes and disease ontologies. Population data from the 100Genomes Project were subsequently integrated into the pipeline. Data mining approaches of this scale have the potential to elucidate the complex interaction between COVID-19 pathogenesis and host genetic variation; the resulting knowledge can facilitate the management of high-risk groups and aid the efforts towards precision medicine.
Factors Affecting the Compressive Strength of Geopolymers: A Review

: Geopolymers are created by mixing a source of aluminosilicates, which can be natural or by-products from other industries, with an alkaline solution. These materials based on by-products from other industries have proven to be a less polluting alternative for concrete production than ordinary Portland cement (OPC). Geopolymers offer many advantages over OPC, such as excellent mechanical strength, increased durability, thermal resistance, and excellent stability in acidic and alkaline environments. Within these properties, mechanical strength, more speciﬁcally compressive strength, is the most important property for analyzing geopolymers as a construction material. For this reason, this study compiled information on the different variables that affect the compressive strength of geopolymers, such as Si/Al ratio, curing temperature and time, type and concentration of alkaline activator, water content, and the effect of impurities. From the information collected, it can be mentioned that geopolymers with Si/Al ratios between 1.5 and 2.0 obtained the highest compressive strengths for the different cases. On the other hand, high moderate temperatures (between 80 and 90 ◦ C) induced higher compressive strengths in geopolymers, because the temperature favors the geopolymerization process. Moreover, longer curing times helped to obtain higher compressive strengths for all the cases analyzed. Furthermore, it was found that the most common practice is the use of sodium hydroxide combined with sodium silicate to obtain geopolymers with good mechanical strength, where the optimum SS/NaOH ratio depends on the source of aluminosilicates to be used. Generally speaking, it was observed that higher water contents lead to a decrease in compressive strength. The presence of calcium was found to be favorable in controlled proportions as it increases the compressive strength of geopolymers, on the other hand, impurities such as heavy metals have a negative effect on the compressive strength of geopolymers.
TallVocabL2Fi: A Tall Dataset of 15 Finnish L2 Learners’ Vocabulary

Previous work concerning measurement of second language learners has tended to focus on the knowledge of small numbers of words, often geared towards measuring vocabulary size. This paper presents a “tall” dataset containing information about a few learners’ knowledge of many words, suitable for evaluating Vocabulary Inventory Prediction (VIP) techniques, including those based on Computerised Adaptive Testing (CAT). In comparison to previous comparable datasets, the learners are from varied backgrounds, so as to reduce the risk of overfitting when used for machine learning based VIP. The dataset contains both a self-rating test and a translation test, used to derive a measure of reliability for learner responses. The dataset creation process is documented, and the relationship between variables concerning the participants, such as their completion time, their language ability level, and the triangulated reliability of their self-assessment responses, are analysed. The word list is constructed by taking into account the extensive derivation morphology of Finnish, and infrequent words are included in order to account for explanatory variables beyond word frequency.
Reaction of Cardiovascular System in Children to Specific Loads in Rock Climbing

- The article analyzes the differences in the reaction of the cardiovascular system to specific loads in rock climbing in children aged 9 to 13 at the initial stage of training. The study has revealed that the load intensity corresponds mainly to the aerobic intensity zone when performing lead climbing exercises, speed climbing exercises and endurance exercises. Special exercises have been developed and tested to stimulate the body's performance in combined and glycolytic power zones, considering the specific requirements of rock climbing and the cohort of climbers. Abstract- The article analyzes the differences in the reaction of the cardiovascular system to specific loads in rock climbing in children aged 9 to 13 at the initial stage of training. The study has revealed that the load intensity corresponds mainly to the aerobic intensity zone when performing lead climbing exercises, speed climbing exercises and endurance exercises. Special exercises have been developed and tested to stimulate the body's performance in combined and glycolytic power zones, considering the specific requirements of rock climbing and the cohort of climbers.
Modeling 1 AU solar wind observations to estimate azimuthal magnetic fields at the solar source surface

A recent two‐dimensional (radial distancer and solar longitude ϕ) model for the solar wind is driven using 1‐hour average data from the Wind spacecraft. We extend the treatment of the Sun's magnetic field to allow a nonzero azimuthal componentBϕ at the source surface, assumed to be at the photosphere where r = Rs, in addition to the radial component Br. We find nonzero azimuthal magnetic fields at the source surface with important consequences for the more distant heliosphere. The averages ∣Bϕ(Rs)∣ and ∣Br(Rs)∣ inferred over solar cycle 23 are 0.44 ± 0.48 μT (4.4 ± 4.8 mG) and 120 ± 30 μT (1.2 ± 0.3 G) at the photosphere, respectively. Both components vary with time by more than an order of magnitude, with ∣Bϕ(Rs)∣ ≤ ∣Br(Rs)∣. While the surface magnetic field is closely radial on average it is sometimes 20° from radial. Both Bϕ and Br vary smoothly on periods of 10 hours, with evidence for relatively narrow current sheets, and vary with the solar cycle: Br(Rs) is correlated with the sunspot number, but with a time lag of 20 months, while Bϕ(Rs) has a two level behavior, decreasing near solar maximum and increasing near solar minimum. Our results and model can account naturally for non‐Parker‐like magnetic field directions at 1 AU since theBϕ fields inferred at the source surface lead to the Bϕ and Br fields at 1 AU having similar average magnitudes and large variability.
A V and I CCD Mosaic Survey of the Ursa Minor Dwarf Spheroidal Galaxy

We discuss a Johnson-Cousins V- and I-band CCD mosaic survey of the Ursa Minor dwarf spheroidal galaxy (dSph) to V ∼ 22. We covered UMi with 27 10. ′5 × 10. ′5 overlapping CCD frames, each frame consisting of two 300 s exposures in each of V and I. We also observed several regions ∼3° from UMi to obtain an estimate of contamination by galaxies and Galactic stars. We report the first H-R diagram of an entire dSph. Separation of dwarf stars from foreground stars by color allows a robust estimation of the structural parameters of UMi. We examine earlier evidence of two lumps in the UMi stellar distribution. We detect a statistically significant asymmetry in the stellar distribution of UMi along the major axis. Structure in the stellar distribution of UMi might indicate a tidal origin for UMi's high observed mass-to-light ratio. We demonstrate a technique for obtaining the absolute magnitude of UMi from horizontal-branch star counts compared with M92; this method of luminosity estimation is independent of the distance to UMi. We obtain MV = -8.87 ± σ , where σ = 0.14 if M92 is a perfect calibrator and σ ≲ 0.35 is an upper bound on the error arising from differences in stellar populations. Our value for MV is consistent with earlier measurements and has a smaller uncertainty.
Comparison between conduction system pacing and cardiac resynchronization therapy in right bundle branch block patients

A significant number of right bundle branch block (RBBB) patients receive cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT), despite lack of evidence for benefit in this patient group. His bundle (HBP) and left bundle pacing (LBP) are novel CRT delivery methods, but their effect on RBBB remains understudied. We aim to compare pacing-induced electrical synchrony during conventional CRT, HBP, and LBP in RBBB patients with different conduction disturbances, and to investigate whether alternative ways of delivering LBP improve response to pacing. We simulated ventricular activation on twenty-four four-chamber heart geometries each including a His-Purkinje system with proximal right bundle branch block (RBBB). We simulated RBBB combined with left anterior and posterior fascicular blocks (LAFB and LPFB). Additionally, RBBB was simulated in the presence of slow conduction velocity (CV) in the myocardium, left ventricular (LV) or right ventricular (RV) His-Purkinje system, and whole His-Purkinje system. Electrical synchrony was measured by the shortest interval to activate 90% of the ventricles (BIVAT-90). Compared to baseline, HBP significantly improved activation times for RBBB alone (BIVAT-90: 66.9 ± 5.5 ms vs. 42.6 ± 3.8 ms, p < 0.01), with LAFB (69.5 ± 5.0 ms vs. 58.1 ± 6.2 ms, p < 0.01), with LPFB (81.8 ± 6.6 ms vs. 62.9 ± 6.2 ms, p < 0.01), with slow myocardial CV (119.4 ± 11.4 ms vs. 97.2 ± 10.0 ms, p < 0.01) or slow CV in the whole His-Purkinje system (102.3 ± 7.0 ms vs. 75.5 ± 5.2 ms, p < 0.01). LBP was only effective in RBBB cases if combined with anodal capture of the RV septum myocardium (BIVAT-90: 66.9 ± 5.5 ms vs. 48.2 ± 5.2 ms, p < 0.01). CRT significantly reduced activation times in RBBB in the presence of severely slow RV His-Purkinje CV (95.1 ± 7.9 ms vs. 84.3 ± 9.3 ms, p < 0.01) and LPFB (81.8 ± 6.6 ms vs. CRT: 72.9 ± 8.6 ms, p < 0.01). Both CRT and HBP were ineffective with severely slow CV in the LV His-Purkinje system. HBP is effective in RBBB patients with otherwise healthy myocardium and Purkinje system, while CRT and LBP are ineffective. Response to LBP improves when LBP is combined with RV septum anodal capture. CRT is better than HBP only in patients with severely slow CV in the RV His-Purkinje system, while CV slowing of the whole His-Purkinje system and the myocardium favor HBP over CRT.
Exponential decay for the damped wave equation in unbounded domains

We study the decay of the semigroup generated by the damped wave equation in an unbounded domain. We first prove under the natural geometric control condition the exponential decay of the semigroup. Then we prove under a weaker condition the logarithmic decay of the solutions (assuming that the initial data are smoother). As corollaries, we obtain several extensions of previous results of stabilization and control.
LncRNA MALAT1 regulates METTL3-mediated PD-L1 expression and immune infiltrates in pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer death in the United States. The main methods of treating pancreatic cancer are surgery and chemotherapy, but the treatment efficacy is low with a poor prognosis. Immunotherapy represented by PD-1/PD-L1 has brought a milestone progress in the treatment of pancreatic cancer. However, the unique tumor microenvironment of pancreatic cancer presents challenges for immunotherapy. In addition, m6A is a common RNA modification and a potential molecular target in tumor therapy. The expression pattern of m6A in pancreatic cancer is still unclear. LncRNAs also play an essential role in pancreatic cancer development and treatment. In this study, we found that some m6A regulators were significantly elevated in pancreatic cancer and associated with the expression of PD-1/PD-L1. Moreover, we observed that METTL3 can increase the expression of PD-L1. Notably, METTL3 positively regulates the expression of lncRNA MALAT1 in pancreatic cancer cells. Strikingly, lncRNA MALAT1 increased the expression of PD-L1 in pancreatic cancer cells. This finding indicated that METTL3 regulated the expression of PD-L1 possibly via targeting lncRNA MALAT1 in pancreatic cancer cells. Lastly, MALAT1 governed the viability of pancreatic cancer cells. Taken together, lncRNA MALAT1 is involved in METTL3-mediated promotion of PD-L1 expression in pancreatic cancer.
Collaboration between traditional and central authorities in chieftaincy succession conflicts management in Ghana: Evidence from Bole traditional area

Chieftaincy succession conflicts are a near-ubiquitous phenomenon in Ghanaian Chiefdoms. While many studies have investigated the causes and implications of such conflicts, the extent to which traditional and central authorities collaborate in the management of chieftaincy succession conflicts in Ghana is largely understudied. This is the gap in the literature that this study attempted to fill. The study was situated within the frameworks of the Collaborative Leadership Theory. The convergent variant of the mixed method approach was adopted for the study where 14 key informants were recruited using expert purposive sampling technique and 99 others recruited for a survey using stratified and simple random sampling techniques. The unit of analysis was the Bole chieftaincy succession conflict management team. Data were solicited around the level of representation of traditional and central authorities on the team, the roles assigned to each member, the levels of commitment of each member, and the significance of the roles played by each member at the various stages of conflict management. The analysis of the data revealed that there were some levels of collaboration at the preparatory stage of the mediation process but this was less so at the main stages of the mediation process. The study therefore recommended that the state, through the National Security Council, may liaise with the National House of Chiefs to fashion out better ways of collaborating in conflict management, from the initial stages to the final stages, so as to completely resolve chieftaincy conflicts that are often disruptive and destructive.
Impacts of landscape-scale forest loss and a dry event on the demographic structure of the endangered palm Euterpe edulis Mart. in the Atlantic Forest

Forest loss is one of the most serious threats to biodiversity in the tropics and mainly occurs due to the conversion of native forests by the expansion of human activities. In addition, regional climate change is likely to adversely affect the remaining biota. These disturbances may have direct or indirect consequences on the demographic structure of plant species in human-modified landscapes. To test this hypothesis, and thus look for management practices aimed at enhancing the population viability, we used the palm species Euterpe edulis Mart. (Arecaceae) to assess the demographic structure of five ontogenetic stages prior (2014) and after (2017) a prolonged drought event (2015) that occurred in the northeastern Atlantic Forest of Brazil. We also investigated the influence of landscape forest cover on the ontogenetic demographic structure, given that forest remnants were embedded within landscapes ranging from 6 to 97% of forest amount. We revealed that forest cover was a key predictor explaining the abundance patterns of E. edulis, with all ontogenetic stages (except seedlings, immature, and adults) exhibiting lower abundance in forest remnants surrounded by lower amount of native forests. Conversely, the regional drought event unaffected the demographic structure of this palm species, which may suggest that populations of E. edulis were able to cope with an isolated, though severe, drought event. The impacts of forest loss on E. edulis demographic structure, particularly on juveniles, raises a concern about the future persistence of E. edulis populations, since the early stages represent the adult generation in the near future. Management measures, including species reintroduction, forest restoration, environmental education programmes and the enforcement of environmental laws must be encouraged to safeguard E. edulis populations in the Atlantic Forest.