Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Between Ecological Psychology and Enactivism: Is There Resonance?

Ecological psychologists and enactivists agree that the best explanation for a large share of cognition is non-representational in kind. In both ecological psychology and enactivist philosophy, then, the task is to offer an explanans that does not rely on representations. Different theorists within these camps have contrasting notions of what the best kind of non-representational explanation will look like, yet they agree on one central point: instead of focusing solely on factors interior to an agent, an important aspect of cognition is found in the link or coupling between an agent and the external world. This link is fluid, dynamic, and active in a variety of ways, and we do not need to add any internal extra something in the perception-action-cognition process. At the same time, even devout defenders of ecological psychology and enactivism recognize that plenty happens inside an agent during cognition. In particular, no one denies that the brain plays an important role. What, then, is the role of the brain if it’s not in the game of representing the environment? One possible option is to describe the brain as a resonant organ instead of a representational organ. In this paper we consider the history of resonance in more detail. Particular focus will be placed on two different sets of approaches that have developed the concept of resonance: a representational reading of resonance and a non-representational, dynamic account of resonance. We then apply these accounts to a case study on music performance, specifically in the context of standard tonal jazz. From this application, we propose that a non-representational resonance account consistent with both enactivism and ecological psychology is a viable way of explaining jazz performance. We conclude with future considerations on research regarding the brain as a resonant organ.
Empathic Accuracy in Clinical Populations

Empathy, broadly defined as the ability to understand the other and to share others’ emotions, motivates prosocial behavior and underlies successful interpersonal relations. Dysfunctions in this ability may cause fundamental difficulties in social communication. Empathy has been measured in various ways, from self-report questionnaires to laboratory objective performance tests. Empathic accuracy (EA), i.e., the ability to accurately empathize, is measured using more complex and ecological paradigms, such as asking participants to infer filmed interactions, or having people narrate personal emotional stories then assessing the correspondence between the perceiver and the target of empathy as the criteria for empathic ability. This measure is particularly useful in the study of clinical populations, where deconstructing the multifaceted concept of empathy may contribute to a more complete understanding of specific clinical profiles. This paper presents a scoping review of the literature on EA in clinical populations, and on EA and clinical traits and states in nonclinical or high-risk populations. Following an exhaustive literature search, 34 studies were found eligible to be included in this review. The largest category was studies focused on EA in people with schizophrenia (31%; 11 papers), followed by studies focused on EA in autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and autistic traits in a nonclinical population (22%; 8 papers). Studies were also found on EA and depression tendencies, psychopathy, social anxiety, behavior disorders, and personality disorders, and a few other clinical conditions. The included studies varied on research aims, designs, sample sizes, and male:female ratios. The overall synthesized results suggest that EA is reduced in schizophrenia and ASD. In other clinical populations, the number of studies was very limited. We urge researchers to further examine EA in these less-studied populations. The review reveals a general underrepresentation of female participants in studies on EA in clinical populations. We suggest that future research address understudied clinical populations, such as those diagnosed with psychopathy. Subject, target, and situational variables should also be considered, with special attention to gender differences (and similarities), the association between EA abilities and adaptive functioning, and the study of individuals with clinical conditions as targets, not just observers, in EA tasks.
Current Status, Challenges, and Possible Solutions of EEG-Based Brain-Computer Interface: A Comprehensive Review

Brain-Computer Interface (BCI), in essence, aims at controlling different assistive devices through the utilization of brain waves. It is worth noting that the application of BCI is not limited to medical applications, and hence, the research in this field has gained due attention. Moreover, the significant number of related publications over the past two decades further indicates the consistent improvements and breakthroughs that have been made in this particular field. Nonetheless, it is also worth mentioning that with these improvements, new challenges are constantly discovered. This article provides a comprehensive review of the state-of-the-art of a complete BCI system. First, a brief overview of electroencephalogram (EEG)-based BCI systems is given. Secondly, a considerable number of popular BCI applications are reviewed in terms of electrophysiological control signals, feature extraction, classification algorithms, and performance evaluation metrics. Finally, the challenges to the recent BCI systems are discussed, and possible solutions to mitigate the issues are recommended.
Current and Emerging Biomarkers Predicting Bone Metastasis Development

Bone is one of the preferential sites of distant metastases from malignant tumors, with the highest prevalence observed in breast and prostate cancers. Patients with bone metastases (BMs) may experience skeletal-related events, such as severe bone pain, pathological fractures, spinal cord compression, and hypercalcemia, with negative effects on the quality of life. In the last decades, a deeper understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the BM onset has been gained, leading to the development of bone-targeting agents. So far, most of the research has been focused on the pathophysiology and treatment of BM, with only relatively few studies investigating potential predictors of risk for BM development. The ability to select such “high-risk” patients could allow early identification of those most likely to benefit from interventions to prevent or delay BM. This review summarizes several evidences for the potential use of specific biomarkers able to predict early the BM development.
A mitochondrial genetic divergence proxy predicts the reproductive compatibility of mammalian hybrids

Numerous pairs of evolutionarily divergent mammalian species have been shown to produce hybrid offspring. In some cases, F1 hybrids are able to produce F2s through matings with F1s. In other instances, the hybrids are only able to produce offspring themselves through backcrosses with a parent species owing to unisexual sterility (Haldane's Rule). Here, we explicitly tested whether genetic distance, computed from mitochondrial and nuclear genes, can be used as a proxy to predict the relative fertility of the hybrid offspring resulting from matings between species of terrestrial mammals. We assessed the proxy's predictive power using a well-characterized felid hybrid system, and applied it to modern and ancient hominins. Our results revealed a small overlap in mitochondrial genetic distance values that distinguish species pairs whose calculated distances fall within two categories: those whose hybrid offspring follow Haldane's Rule, and those whose hybrid F1 offspring can produce F2s. The strong correlation between genetic distance and hybrid fertility demonstrated here suggests that this proxy can be employed to predict whether the hybrid offspring of two mammalian species will follow Haldane's Rule.
The occurrence of mixed stands of the Eucalyptus subgenera Monocalyptus and Symphyomyrtus in south‐eastern Tasmania

Mixed stands of eucalypts were examined on several sites in south-eastern Tasmania. Species from the subgenus Monocalyptus (E. puchella and E. obliqua) became dominant over species from the subgenus Symphyomyrtus (E. viminalis and E. globulus) as the age of the stand increased. In glasshouse trials, Symphyomyrtus species were initially at an advantage since they were more opportunistic than Monocalyptus species owing to their more rapid and even germination and higher initial growth rates. In addition, the Monocalyptus species E. pulchella showed a greater tendency to regenerate vegetatively than the Symphyomyrtus species E. viminalis and E. ovata.
Pharmacological Activity, Pharmacokinetics, and Toxicity of Timosaponin AIII, a Natural Product Isolated From Anemarrhena asphodeloides Bunge: A Review

Anemarrhena asphodeloides Bunge is a famous Chinese Materia Medica and has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for more than two thousand years. Steroidal saponins are important active components isolated from A. asphodeloides Bunge. Among which, the accumulation of numerous experimental studies involved in Timosaponin AIII (Timo AIII) draws our attention in the recent decades. In this review, we searched all the scientific literatures using the key word “timosaponin AIII” in the PubMed database update to March 2020. We comprehensively summarized the pharmacological activity, pharmacokinetics, and toxicity of Timo AIII. We found that Timo AIII presents multiple-pharmacological activities, such as anti-cancer, anti-neuronal disorders, anti-inflammation, anti-coagulant, and so on. And the anti-cancer effect of Timo AIII in various cancers, especially hepatocellular cancer and breast cancer, is supposed as its most potential activity. The anti-inflammatory activity of Timo AIII is also beneficial to many diseases. Moreover, VEGFR, X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP), B-cell-specific Moloney murine leukemia virus integration site 1 (BMI1), thromboxane (Tx) A2 receptor, mTOR, NF-κB, COX-2, MMPs, acetylcholinesterase (AChE), and so on are identified as the crucial pharmacological targets of Timo AIII. Furthermore, the hepatotoxicity of Timo AIII was most concerned, and the pharmacokinetics and toxicity of Timo AIII need further studies in diverse animal models. In conclusion, Timo AIII is potent as a compound or leading compound for further drug development while still needs in-depth studies.
On the Conformational Dynamics of β-Amyloid Forming Peptides: A Computational Perspective

Understanding the conformational dynamics of proteins and peptides involved in important functions is still a difficult task in computational structural biology. Because such conformational transitions in β-amyloid (Aβ) forming peptides play a crucial role in many neurological disorders, researchers from different scientific fields have been trying to address issues related to the folding of Aβ forming peptides together. Many theoretical models have been proposed in the recent years for studying Aβ peptides using mathematical, physicochemical, and molecular dynamics simulation, and machine learning approaches. In this article, we have comprehensively reviewed the developmental advances in the theoretical models for Aβ peptide folding and interactions, particularly in the context of neurological disorders. Furthermore, we have extensively reviewed the advances in molecular dynamics simulation as a tool used for studying the conversions between polymorphic amyloid forms and applications of using machine learning approaches in predicting Aβ peptides and aggregation-prone regions in proteins. We have also provided details on the theoretical advances in the study of Aβ peptides, which would enhance our understanding of these peptides at the molecular level and eventually lead to the development of targeted therapies for certain acute neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease in the future.
A Review of Landfill Microbiology and Ecology: A Call for Modernization With ‘Next Generation’ Technology

Engineered and monitored sanitary landfills have been widespread in the United States since the passage of the Clean Water Act (1972) with additional controls under RCRA Subtitle D (1991) and the Clean Air Act Amendments (1996). Concurrently, many common perceptions regarding landfill biogeochemical and microbiological processes and estimated rates of gas production also date from 2 to 4 decades ago. Herein, we summarize the recent application of modern microbiological tools as well as recent metadata analysis using California, USEPA and international data to outline an evolving view of landfill biogeochemical/microbiological processes and rates. We focus on United States landfills because these are uniformly subject to stringent national and state requirements for design, operations, monitoring, and reporting. From a microbiological perspective, because anoxic conditions and methanogenesis are rapidly established after daily burial of waste and application of cover soil, the >1000 United States landfills with thicknesses up to >100 m form a large ubiquitous group of dispersed ‘dark’ ecosystems dominated by anaerobic microbial decomposition pathways for food, garden waste, and paper substrates. We review past findings of landfill ecosystem processes, and reflect on the potential impact that application of modern sequencing technologies (e.g., high throughput platforms) could have on this area of research. Moreover, due to the ever evolving composition of landfilled waste reflecting transient societal practices, we also consider unusual microbial processes known or suspected to occur in landfill settings, and posit areas of research that will be needed in coming decades. With growing concerns about greenhouse gas emissions and controls, the increase of chemicals of emerging concern in the waste stream, and the potential resource that waste streams represent, application of modernized molecular and microbiological methods to landfill ecosystem research is of paramount importance.
Is death from Covid-19 a multistep process?

Covid-19 death has a different relationship with age than is the case for other severe respiratory pathogens. The Covid-19 death rate increases exponentially with age, and the main risk factors are age itself, as well as having underlying conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, severe chronic respiratory disease and cancer. Furthermore, the almost complete lack of deaths in children suggests that infection alone is not sufficient to cause death; rather, one must have gone through a number of changes, either as a result of undefined aspects of aging, or as a result of chronic disease. These characteristics of Covid-19 death are consistent with the multistep model of disease, a model which has primarily been used for cancer, and more recently for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). We applied the multi-step model to data on Covid-19 case fatality rates (CFRs) from China, South Korea, Italy, Spain and Japan. In all countries we found that a plot of ln (CFR) against ln (age) was approximately linear with a slope of about 5. As a comparison, we also conducted similar analyses for selected other respiratory diseases. SARS showed a similar log-log age-pattern to that of Covid-19, albeit with a lower slope, whereas seasonal and pandemic influenza showed quite different age-patterns. Thus, death from Covid-19 and SARS appears to follow a distinct age-pattern, consistent with a multistep model of disease that in the case of Covid-19 is probably defined by comorbidities and age producing immune-related susceptibility. Identification of these steps would be potentially important for prevention and therapy for SARS-COV-2 infection.
The Potential Impacts of Pollution on Humpback Dolphins, with a Case Study on the Hong Kong Population

Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins (Sousa chinensis) inhabit coastal and estuarine waters close to anthropogenic sources of pollution. Detailed studies of contaminant levels on Hong Kong’s population of humpback dolphins showed high levels of organochlorines, in particular DDT, and mercury contamination. These contaminant levels are high enough to impact humpback dolphin health. It is likely that several other populations of humpback dolphins are contaminated to a similar degree, and urgent research is warranted. In addition to organochlorine and trace element pollution, the impacts of butyltin (BT), polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), tris(4-chlorophenyl)methane (TCPMe), tris(4chlorophenyl)methanol (TCPMeOH), and sewage pollution on humpback dolphin populations should be investigated as a matter of urgency.
Water intake of grazing Angora wether goats and Merino wether sheep

Water intakes of Angora wether goats and Merino wether sheep grazing annual pastures were measured in summer on dry pasture and in winter on green pasture. Animals were grazed at 7.5 and 12.5 animals ha-1 in 1984 and 7.5 and 10 animals ha-1 in 1985 on unshaded paddocks. Mean maximum temperatures were 25¦ in summer and 13¦C in winter. In summer, animals at the lower stocking rates were heavier (sheep 40.8 kg fleece free liveweight (FFLW), goats 37.3 kg FFLW) and consumed more water than animals at the higher stocking rate (sheep 33.7 kg FFLW, goats 30.2 kg FFLW). Angora goats consumed significantly more water than Merino sheep, 1.87 v. 1.37 litre day-1. Daily water intake of Angora goats was 55.6 ml (kg FFLW)-1, 50% more than Merino sheep (P<0.005). Maximum water intakes on the hottest day (35¦C, maximum) were twice the average recorded intake in both species. As a result of frequent drinking, goats formed tracks which radiated from the water trough. Daily water intake in winter was 0.1 litre or 2.5 ml (kg FFLW)-1 for goats and sheep. Water in oblong metal water troughs had higher temperatures but lower evaporative losses than water in larger circular concrete water troughs. It is concluded that Angora goats grazing dry pasture in summer require water supplies and their water consumption is greater than that of similar-sized sheep.
TWO DIFFERENT COMPLEMENT RECEPTORS ON HUMAN LYMPHOCYTES

In the present study it was shown that normal peripheral lymphocytes have two different complement receptors: one for C3b (the immune adherence receptor) and one for C3b subsequent to its cleavage by C3b inactivator. The two receptors are not cross-reactive and were shown by tests with various antisera to be antigenically distinct. Both the immune adherence receptor and the receptor for C3b inactivator-cleaved C3b were found on normal peripheral lymphocytes and on cultured lymphoblastoid cells. In 15 out of 18 chronic lymphatic leukemia patients, the immune adherence receptor was either partially or completely missing from the peripheral lymphocytes, while the lymphocyte receptor for C3b inactivator-cleaved C3b was retained. Normal erythrocytes, on the other hand, were found to have only the immune adherence receptor. Granulocytes from normal peripheral blood appeared to have only a receptor for C3b and did not have a receptor for C3b inactivator-cleaved C3b.
Jurinea tortumensis sp. nov. (Asteraceae) from northeast Anatolia, Turkey

A new species, Jurinea tortumensis A. Duran & B. Dogan (Asteraceae), is described and illustrated from Anatolia, Turkey. The species grows on serpentine stony places in the Tortum district (Erzurum Province) in northeast Anatolia. It is morphologically similar to J. consanguinea DC. The pollen characteristics and achene surface morphology of J. tortumensis and J. consanguinea are examined by SEM. Diagnostic morphological characters from closely similar taxa are discussed and arranged in a key. Ecology, conservation status and biogeography of the species are also presented. In addition, the geographical distributions of the new species and other related species are mapped.
Josefpoeltia parva, A New Combination in Josefpoeltia (Teloschistaceae)

Abstract The new combination, Josefpoeltia parva (Räs.) Frödén & L. Lindblom with the basionym Xanthoria parva Räs. , is made. The type species of Josefpoeltia, J. boliviensis, is reduced to synonymy with J. parva. The length of the conidia varies in J. parva showing a north-south gradient.
EFFECTS OF TWO MOTILITY INHIBITORS ON THE PHOTOSYNTHETIC ACTIVITY OF THE DIATOMS CYLINDROTHECA CLOSTERIUM AND PLEUROSIGMA ANGULATUM

The effects of the motility inhibitors 2,3-butanedione monoxime (BDM) and latranculin A (Lat A) on the motility, photosynthetic activity and pigment composition of the benthic diatoms Cylindrotheca closterium and Pleurosigma angulatum were studied. BDM inhibited diatom gliding, preventing motility at concentrations of 12.5 mM and 50 mM for C. closterium and P. angulatum, respectively. For both species, the quantum yield of PSII (ΔF/Fm′) decreased with increasing concentrations of BDM. Reduced excitation at PSII reaction centres were caused by BDM-induced conversion of the pigment diadinoxanthin to diatoxanthin, through the activation of the xanthophyll cycle. Lat A inhibited diatom gliding, preventing motility at concentrations of 0.1 μM and 0.25 μM for C. closterium and P. angulatum, respectively. Concentrations of Lat A as high as 1 μM showed no significant effects on the PSII quantum yield, on the light-response curves of relative electron transport rate (initial slope of light curve, a, and maximum relative electron transport rate, ETRm), or on the pigment composition of treated diatom cells. These results indicate that BDM has unavoidable effects on the photosynthetic activity by affecting the xanthophyll cycle, which hamper its use as a motility inhibitor in diatom studies. On the other hand, the absence of effects of Lat A on the photosynthetic activity makes this motility inhibitor a useful tool for the study of the ecological and photophysiological relevance of benthic diatom migration.
Production of a banana (Musa cavendishii) extract containing no polyphenol oxidase by ultrafiltration

The objective of this research was the production of a banana extract containing no polyphenol oxidase by ultrafiltration. Banana juice was extracted after inhibition of polyphenol oxidase using a solution containing 0.15 g per 100 ml of sodium metabisulphite and 1 g per 100 ml of ascorbic acid in distilled water to avoid initial browning. Polyphenol oxidase was then retained by ultrafiltration using polysulphone membranes with a cut-off of 20 kDaltons. Two transmembrane pressures, 600 and 800 kPa, were used but 600 kPa was preferred because of the more stable permeate flux which decreased less with time and concentration of extract. © 1999 Society of Chemical Industry
Notes: Spawning Behavior of Bull Trout in the Upper Flathead Drainage, Montana, with Special Reference to Hybridization with Brook Trout

Abstract We observed spawning behavior of adfluvial bull trout Salvelinus confluentus in a stream in the Flathead River basin where this species coexists with resident brook trout S. fontinalis. Bull trout were much larger in total length than brook trout. During spawning activities of bull trout, smaller paired males or females were displaced by larger individuals. Smaller satellite males, especially brook trout, remained near spawning bull trout pairs for long periods. During these periods, the smaller brook trout were attacked by the paired male as frequently as were larger bull trout satellite males. In one case, a small satellite male brook trout was observed to release sperm after sneaking into a redd during spawning by a pair of large bull trout. This activity may account for some instances of hybridization observed in these populations.