Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Predation and parasitism on herbivorous insects change in opposite directions in a latitudinal gradient crossing a boreal forest zone.

The Latitudinal Biotic Interaction Hypothesis (LBIH) predicts that the strength of various biotic interactions decreases from low to high latitudes. Inconsistency between studies testing this hypothesis may result from variations among different types of interactions and among study systems. Therefore, exploration of multiple interactions within one system would help to disentangle latitudinal patterns across individual interactions and to evaluate latitudinal changes in the overall impact of enemies on prey. We tested the prediction based on the LBIH that the pressure of natural enemies on herbivorous insects decreases with increase in latitude across the boreal forest zone. We also asked whether the impacts of major groups of these enemies exhibit similar latitudinal patterns and whether these patterns are consistent across study years. In 10 forest sites located from 60°N to 69°N in Northern Europe, each summer, from 2016-2019, we measured (i) mortality of three groups of leafmining insects caused by birds, ants, parasitoids and unknown factors, (ii) bird attacks on caterpillar-shaped plasticine models, and (iii) birch foliar damage caused by defoliators and leafminers. Latitudinal patterns in both insect herbivory on birch and top-down pressure on herbivorous insects varied considerably and inconsistently among the four study years, so that only some of the year-specific correlations with latitude were statistically significant. Nevertheless, meta-analysis combining correlations across years, preys and enemies revealed general decreases in predation by birds (on both natural and model prey) and ants, but an increase in parasitism rates, from low to high latitudes. We found that the direction of latitudinal changes in the strength of biotic interactions was interaction-specific: predation and herbivory supported LBIH, whereas parasitism exhibited an opposite trend. Consequently, the overall impact of natural enemies on herbivorous insects did not change with latitude and was therefore an unlikely reason for the poleward decrease in herbivory observed in our gradient. Considerable among-year variation in the strength of the latitudinal patterns in all the studied interactions suggests that this variation is a widespread phenomenon.
Low-Dimensional Subject Representation-Based Transfer Learning in EEG Decoding

Recently, the advances in passive brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) based on electroencephalogram (EEG) have shed light on real-world neuromonitoring technologies. However, human variability in the EEG activities hinders the development of practical applications of EEG-based BCI. To tackle this problem, many transfer-learning techniques perform supervised calibration. This kind of calibration approach requires task-relevant data, which is impractical in real-life scenarios such as drowsiness during driving. This study presents a transfer-learning framework for EEG decoding based on the low-dimensional representations of subjects learned from the pre-trial EEG. Tensor decomposition was applied to the pre-trial EEG of subjects to extract the underlying characteristics in subject, spatial, and spectral domains. Then, the proposed framework assessed the characteristics to obtain the low-dimensional subject representations such that the subjects with similar brain dynamics can be identified. This method can leverage the existing data from other users, and a small number of data from a rapid, non-task, unsupervised calibration from a new user to build an accurate BCI. Our results demonstrated that, in terms of prediction accuracy, the proposed low-dimensional subject representation-based transfer learning (LDSR-TL) framework outperformed the random selection, and the Riemannian manifold approach in cognitive-state tracking, while requiring fewer training data. The results can greatly improve the practicability, and usability of EEG-based BCI in the real world.
Extremely Low‐Frequency Magnetic Fields and the Risk of Childhood B‐Lineage Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in a City With High Incidence of Leukemia and Elevated Exposure to ELF Magnetic Fields

It is important to study the relationship between extremely low‐frequency magnetic fields (ELF‐MFs) and childhood leukemia, particularly in locations with a high incidence of this neoplasm in children and an elevated exposure to ELF‐MF, such as Mexico City. The aim was to investigate the association between ELF‐MF exposure and the risk of B‐lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B‐ALL). A case–control study was conducted in Mexico City during the period from 2010 to 2011. Residential 24‐h ELF‐MF measurements were obtained for 290 incident B‐ALL patients and 407 controls, aged less than 16 years. Controls were frequency‐matched by sex, age (±18 months), and health institution. The adjusted odds ratios (aOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. ELF‐MF exposure at <0.2 μT was used to define the reference group. ELF‐MF exposure at ≥0.3 μT was observed in 11.3% of the controls. Different ELF‐MF intensity cutoff values were used to define the highest exposure category; the highest exposure category for each cutoff value was associated with an increased risk of B‐ALL compared with the corresponding lower exposure categories. The aORs were as follows: ≥0.2 μT = 1.26 (95% CI: 0.84–1.89); ≥0.3 μT = 1.53 (95% CI: 0.95–2.48); ≥0.4 μT = 1.87 (95% CI: 1.04–3.35); ≥0.5 μT = 1.80 (95% CI 0.95–3.44); ≥0.6 μT = 2.32 (95% CI: 1.10–4.93). ELF‐MF exposure as a continuous variable (per 0.2 μT intervals) was associated with B‐ALL risk (aOR = 1.06; 95% CI: 1.01–1.12). In the present study, the proportion of children exposed to ≥0.3 μT is among the highest reported worldwide. Additionally, an ELF‐MF exposure ≥0.4 μT may be associated with the risk of B‐ALL. Bioelectromagnetics. © 2020 Bioelectromagnetics Society
Grating-coupled surface plasmon-polariton sensing at a flat metal-analyte interface in a hybrid-configuration.

Surface plasmon resonance based sensors have emerged as a commercially fostering portable bio-detector. The scientific community is engaged in extensive research to improve its performance in terms of sensitivity, selectivity, and reproducibility for the recognition of specific biomolecules. Essentially, there is a need for miniaturizing the size of existing sensors with innovative designs without compromising its bio-affinity and sensitivity performance. In this work, we propose and demonstrate a grating-coupled surface plasmon polariton sensor on a thin flat gold layer using a hybrid configuration. The proof of concept of the grating architecture has been realized through an innovative fabrication procedure, with experimental verification of its bulk sensitivity. The geometry is identical to the prism-coupling configuration, yet, with miniaturization and compactness. Characteristics of the excited modes in the spectral regime of interest are investigated using the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulation. The effective index calculation of the resonance conditions and the accompanying field distribution can identify the excited surface plasmon polariton (SPP) and metal-assisted guided-mode resonance (MaGMR) modes. Detailed probing of the electric field distribution of the desired SPP mode reveals an extended evanescent decay length of 1284 nm, close to the theoretical limit, and an extended propagation length of 270 μm. The experimental demonstration of reflectance dip with two different analyte media perceived an increased bulk sensitivity of 1133 nm/RIU. Remarkably, this resonant mode exhibits sensing capabilities for a wide range of analyte refractive index. We believe that the fabricated configuration with observed high-sensitivity and calculated ultra-deep evanescent field penetration depth along with extended propagation length can lead to the designing of a hands-on biochip for detecting large biomolecules.
Fractional‐Pixel CO2 Laser Treatment in Patients With Urodynamic Stress Urinary Incontinence: 1‐Year Follow‐Up

Vaginal pixelated low power and long pulses (LPLP) CO2 laser has been suggested as an optional treatment for stress urinary incontinence (SUI) with many studies reporting short‐term improvements. The objective of this study was to assess the 1‐year subjective and objective efficacy of vaginal CO2 laser in women with urodynamic SUI.
Design of an Interpenetrating Polymeric Network Hydrogel Made of Calcium-Alginate from a Thermos-Sensitive Pluronic Template as a Thermal-Ionic Reversible Wound Dressing

Polymer-based hydrogels demonstrate superior performance when used as wound dressing. An ideal dressing should possess an active healing function, absorb wound exudates, and provide a moist interface on the wound for rapid injury repair and the prevention of pain and injury during replacement of the dressing. Thus, the aim of this study was to develop a novel, reversible, smart, interpenetrating polymeric network (IPN) by utilizing the thermosensitive network of pluronic F127 (PF127) as a template to regulate the conformation of calcium-ion-crosslinked alginate. We found that the IPN hydrogels formed soft and elastic thermosensitive networks, retaining their form even after absorbing a large amount of wound exudate. The exterior of the hydrogels was made up of a rigid calcium alginate network that supported the entire hydrogel, promoting the stability of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) payload and controlling its release when the hydrogel was applied topically to wounds. Raman spectroscopy confirmed the layered structure of the hydrogel, which was found to easily disintegrate even after moderate rinsing of the wound with cold phosphate-buffered saline. Taken together, these results show that the IPN hydrogel developed in this study could be a promising delivery platform for growth factors to accelerate wound healing.
Evaluation of gerbera genotypes for cut flower production under different growing conditions of Kashmir

Twenty six gerbera varieties were evaluated for cut flower production under polyhouse and field conditions. Dune recorded maximum plant height (43.19 and 37.16 cm) and flower stalk length (65.85 and 60.12 cm) both under polyhouse and field conditions, respectively. The flower size was found maximum in Sunway (13.17 cm) under polyhouse conditions, while it was found maximum in Dune (11.58 cm) under field conditions. Dune also registered the maximum vase-life for under polyhouse (10.43 days) and field (8.20 days) conditions. The maximum number of flowers per plant (58.14) was recorded in Dune under polyhouse and for Dana Ellen (42.34) under field conditions.
Expression of Fbp2, a Newly Discovered Constituent of Memory Formation Mechanisms, Is Regulated by Astrocyte–Neuron Crosstalk

Fbp2 (muscle isozyme of fructose 1,6-bisphosphatase) is a glyconeogenesis-regulating enzyme and a multifunctional protein indispensable for long-term potentiation (LTP) formation in the hippocampus. Here, we present evidence that expression of Fbp2 in murine hippocampal cell cultures is regulated by crosstalk between neurons and astrocytes. Co-culturing of the two cell types results in a decrease in Fbp2 expression in astrocytes, and its simultaneous increase in neurons, as compared to monocultures. These changes are regulated by paracrine signaling using extracellular vesicle (EV)-packed factors released to the culture medium. It is well accepted that astrocyte–neuron metabolic crosstalk plays a crucial role in shaping neuronal function, and recently we have suggested that Fbp2 is a hub linking neuronal signaling with redox and/or energetic state of brain during the formation of memory traces. Thus, our present results emphasize the importance of astrocyte–neuron crosstalk in the regulation of the cells’ metabolism and synaptic plasticity, and bring us one step closer to a mechanistic understanding of the role of Fbp2 in these processes.
Spontaneously emerging patterns in human visual cortex and their functional connectivity are linked to the patterns evoked by visual stimuli

The function of spontaneous brain activity is an important issue in neuroscience. Here we test the hypothesis that patterns of spontaneous activity code representational patterns evoked by stimuli and tasks. We compared in human visual cortex multi-vertex patterns of spontaneous activity to patterns evoked by ecological visual stimuli (faces, bodies, scenes) and low-level visual features (e.g. phase-scrambled faces). Specifically, we identified regions that preferred particular stimulus categories during localizer scans (e.g. extra-striate body area for bodies), measured multi-vertex patterns for each category during event-related task scans, and then correlated over vertices these stimulus-evoked patterns to the pattern measured on each frame of resting-state scans. The mean correlation coefficient was essentially zero for all regions/stimulus categories, indicating that resting multi-vertex patterns were not biased toward particular stimulus-evoked patterns. However, the spread of correlation coefficients between stimulus-evoked and resting patterns, i.e. both positive and negative, was significantly greater for the preferred stimulus category of an ROI (e.g. body category in body-preferring ROIs). The relationship between spontaneous and stimulus-evoked multi-vertex patterns also governed the temporal correlation or functional connectivity of patterns of spontaneous activity between individual regions (pattern-based functional connectivity). Resting patterns related to an object category fluctuated preferentially between ROIs preferring the same category, and patterns related to different categories fluctuated independently within their respective preferred ROIs (e.g. body- and scene-related multi-vertex patterns within body- and scene-preferring ROIs). These results support the general proposal that spontaneous multi-vertex activity patterns are linked to stimulus-evoked patterns, consistent with a representational function for spontaneous activity.
The importance of bone marrow and the immune system in driving increases in blood pressure and sympathetic nerve activity in hypertension

What is the topic of this review? This manuscript provides a review of the current understanding of the role of the sympathetic nervous system in regulation of bone marrow‐derived immune cells and the effect that the infiltrating bone marrow cells may have on perpetuation of the sympathetic over‐activation in hypertension. What advances does it highlight? We highlight the recent advances in understanding of the neuroimmune interactions both peripherally and centrally as they relate to blood pressure control.
Antioxidant, Antimicrobial, and Bioactive Potential of Two New Haloarchaeal Strains Isolated from Odiel Salterns (Southwest Spain)

Simple Summary Halophilic archaea are microorganisms that inhabit in extreme environments for life, under salt saturation, high temperature and elevated UV radiation. The interest in these microorganisms lies on the properties of their molecules, that present high salt and temperature tolerance, as well as, antioxidant power, being an excellent source of compounds for several biotechnological applications. However, the bioactive properties from haloarcahaea remain scarcely studied compared to other groups as plants or algae, usually reported as good health promoters. In this work we describe the isolation and the molecular identification of two new haloarchaeal strains from Odiel salterns (SW Spain), and the antioxidant, antimicrobial and bioactive potential of their extracts. The results revealed that the extracts obtained with acetone presented the highest activities in the antioxidant, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory assays, becoming a promising source of metabolites with applied interest in pharmacy, cosmetics and food industry. Abstract The need to survive in extreme environments has furnished haloarchaea with a series of components specially adapted to work in such conditions. The possible application of these molecules in the pharmaceutical and industrial fields has received increasing attention; however, many potential bioactivities of haloarchaea are still poorly explored. In this paper, we describe the isolation and identification of two new haloarchaeal strains from the saltern ponds located in the marshlands of the Odiel River, in the southwest of Spain, as well as the in vitro assessment of their antioxidant, antimicrobial, and bioactive properties. The acetone extract obtained from the new isolated Haloarcula strain exhibited the highest antioxidant activity, while the acetone extracts from both isolated strains demonstrated a strong antimicrobial activity, especially against other halophilic microorganisms. Moreover, these extracts showed a remarkable ability to inhibit the enzyme cyclooxygenase-2 and to activate the melanogenic enzyme tyrosinase, indicating their potential against chronic inflammation and skin pigmentation disorders. Finally, the aqueous protein-rich extracts obtained from both haloarchaea exhibited an important inhibitory effect on the activity of the acetylcholinesterase enzyme, involved in the hydrolysis of cholinergic neurotransmitters and related to several neurological diseases.
Reminders activate the prefrontal‐medial temporal cortex and attenuate forgetting of event memory

Replicas of an aspect of an experienced event can serve as effective reminders, yet little is known about the neural basis of such reminding effects. Here we examined the neural activity underlying the memory‐enhancing effect of reminders 1 week after encoding of naturalistic film clip events. We used fMRI to determine differences in network activity associated with recently reactivated memories relative to comparably aged, non‐reactivated memories. Reminders were effective in facilitating overall retrieval of memory for film clips, in an all‐or‐none fashion. Prefrontal cortex and hippocampus were activated during both reminders and retrieval. Peak activation in ventro‐lateral prefrontal cortex (vPFC) preceded peak activation in the right hippocampus during the reminders. For film clips that were successfully retrieved after 7 days, pre‐retrieval reminders did not enhance the quality of the retrieved memory or the number of details retrieved, nor did they more strongly engage regions of the recollection network than did successful retrieval of a non‐reminded film clip. These results suggest that reminders prior to retrieval are an effective means of boosting retrieval of otherwise inaccessible episodic events, and that the inability to recall certain events after a delay of a week largely reflects a retrieval deficit, rather than a storage deficit for this information. The results extend other evidence that vPFC drives activation of the hippocampus to facilitate memory retrieval and scene construction, and show that this facilitation also occurs when reminder cues precede successful retrieval attempts. The time course of vPFC‐hippocampal activity during the reminder suggests that reminders may first engage schematic information meditated by vPFC followed by a recollection process mediated by the hippocampus.
Efficacy of Biologics Targeting Tumour Necrosis Factor-alpha, Interleukin-17 -12/23, -23 and Small Molecules Targeting JAK and PDE4 in the Treatment of Nail Psoriasis: A Network Meta-analysis

The comparative efficacy of registered anti-psoriatic biologics and small molecules in treating nail symptoms has not been systematically evaluated. The aim of this study was to perform a network meta-analysis to determine the efficacy of biologics and small molecules in nail psoriasis. A Bayesian network meta-analysis of 17 randomized clinical trials (a total of 6,053 nail psoriatic patients) was performed, comparing the short-term (week 10–16) efficacy of biologics and small molecules in the treatment of nail psoriasis. All active treatments were found to be superior to placebo. Ixekizumab 80 mg every 4 weeks (Nail Psoriasis Severity Index (NAPSI) % improvement, Surface Under the Cumulative Ranking (SUCRA)=0.92) and etanercept 50 mg twice weekly (probability of achieving NAPSI 50, SUCRA=0.82) proved the best short-term treatment options. However, efficacy end-points in psoriasis trials were not optimized for nail assessment, and outcome parameters were highly heterogeneous, limiting comparability. In conclusion, outcome parameters and efficacy endpoints of nail psoriasis trials should be standardized.
Evaluation of Balanced Fertilizer doses on Growth, Yield and Nutrient Uptake in Garlic under Irrigated Ecosystem of Western Uttar Pradesh

The balanced fertilizer doses along with recommended dose of NPK can be used to improve crop yield and nutrient-use efficiency over the existing organic or inorganic fertilizer application with flat beds planting with recommended dose of NPK. Therefore, present work was undertaken during 2010–11 and 2011–12 to establish an understanding of how garlic yield and input-use efficiency can be improved and how balanced fertilizer doses can be modified to be more efficient in fertilizer use. The result showed that treatment F4, i.e. 25% RDF organic + 75% RDF inorganic recorded higher length of roots/bulb, number of roots/plant, number of cloves, length of largest clove (cm), diameter of bulb (cm), bulb yield and nutrient uptake of NPK as compared to other treatments.
Multiplex Bead Array Assay of a Panel of Circulating Cytokines and Growth Factors in Patients with Albuminuric and Non-Albuminuric Diabetic Kidney Disease

A panel of cytokines and growth factors, mediating low-grade inflammation and fibrosis, was assessed in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and different patterns of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Patients with long-term T2D (N = 130) were classified into four groups: no signs of CKD; estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <60 mL/min/1.73 m2 without albuminuria; albuminuria and eGFR ≥60 mL/min/1.73 m2; albuminuria and eGFR <60 mL/min/1.73 m2. Thirty healthy subjects were acted as control. Twenty-seven cytokines and growth factors were assessed in serum by multiplex bead array assay. Serum hs-CRP, urinary nephrin, podocine, and WFDC2 were measured by ELISA. Patients with T2D showed elevated IL-1Ra, IL-6, IL-17A, G-CSF, IP-10, MIP-1α, and bFGF levels; concentrations of IL-4, IL-12, IL-15, INF-γ, and VEGF were decreased. IL-6, IL-17A, G-CSF, MIP-1α, and bFGF correlated negatively with eGFR; IL-10 and VEGF demonstrated negative associations with WFDC2; no relationships with podocyte markers were found. Adjusted IL-17A and MIP-1α were predictors of non-albuminuric CKD, IL-13 predicted albuminuria with preserved renal function, meanwhile, IL-6 and hsCRP were predictors of albuminuria with eGFR decline. Therefore, albuminuric and non-albuminuric CKD in T2D patients are associated with different pro-inflammatory shifts in the panel of circulating cytokines.