Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Memory Reactivation during Sleep Improves Execution of a Challenging Motor Skill

Memory reactivation during sleep reinforces various types of learning. Basic motor skills likely benefit from sleep. There is insufficient evidence, however, on whether memory reactivation during sleep contributes to learning how to execute a novel action. Here, we investigated motor learning in a myoelectric feedback task. Human male and female participants learned to control myoelectric activity in specific arm muscles to move a computer cursor to each of 16 locations. Each location was associated with a unique sound. Half of the sounds were played during slow-wave sleep to reactivate corresponding memories of muscle control. After sleep, movements cued during sleep were performed more quickly and efficiently than uncued movements. These results demonstrated that memory reactivation during sleep contributes to learning of action execution. We conclude that sleep supports learning novel actions, which also maps onto the learning required in certain neurorehabilitation procedures. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Prior literature on motor learning has produced much evidence supporting a role for sleep but scant evidence on the execution component. This aspect of learning is critical for many complex skills that people value in their lives. Our results not only implicate sleep in skill learning but also pinpoint a benefit for motor execution using a method for modifying memory storage during sleep. We used targeted memory reactivation (TMR), whereby a stimulus that has been associated with learning is presented again during sleep to bring on a recapitulation of waking brain activity. Our demonstration that memory reactivation contributed to skilled performance may be relevant for neurorehabilitation as well as fields concerned with motor learning, such as kinesiology and physiology.
Serum of limb remote ischemic postconditioning inhibits fMLP-triggered activation and reactive oxygen species releasing of rat neutrophils

ABSTRACT Objectives The study explores the protective role of the peripheral serum of limb remote ischemic postconditioning (LRIP) in reducing the reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and neutrophil activation, which are responsible for the deleterious reperfusion injury. Methods LRIP was induced in Sprague–Dawley rats by three cycles of 5 min occlusion /5 min reperfusion on the left hind limb. The blood samples were collected before LRIP or 0 and 1 h after LRIP (named SerumSham, SerumLRIP0, SerumLRIP1, respectively). The effects of LRIP serum on ROS level and neutrophils activation were determined. The expression of MyD88-TRAF6-MAPKs and PI3K/AKT pathways in neutrophils were examined. Results When compared with SerumSham, SerumLRIP0 and SerumLRIP1 significantly reduced the ROS released from neutrophils activated by fMLP. Meanwhile, the mRNA expression levels of NADPH oxidase subunit p22phox and multiple ROS-producing related key proteins, such as NADPH oxidase subunit p47phox ser 304, ser 345. MyD88, p-ERK, p-JNK and p-P38 expression of neutrophils were downregulated by SerumLRIP0 and SerumLRIP1. SerumLRIP1 also downregulated p47phox mRNA expression and tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF6) protein expression. Conclusion LRIP serum protects against ROS level and neutrophils activation involving the MyD88-TRAF6-MAPKs. This finding provides new insight into the understanding of LRIP mechanisms. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT
USP10 Promotes Fibronectin Recycling, Secretion, and Organization

Purpose Integrins play a central role in myofibroblast pathological adhesion, over-contraction, and TGFβ activation. Previously, we demonstrated that after corneal wounding, αv integrins are protected from intracellular degradation by upregulation of the deubiquitinase USP10, leading to cell-surface integrin accumulation. Because integrins bind to and internalize extracellular matrix (ECM), we tested whether extracellular fibronectin (FN) accumulation can result from an increase in integrin and matrix recycling in primary human corneal fibroblasts (HCFs). Methods Primary HCFs were isolated from cadaver eyes. HCFs were transfected with either USP10 cDNA or control cDNA by nucleofection. Internalized FN was quantified with a FN ELISA. Recycled extracellular integrin and FN were detected with streptavidin-488 by live cell confocal microscopy (Zeiss LSM 780). Endogenous FN extra domain A was detected by immunocytochemistry. Cell size and removal of FN from the cell surface was determined by flow cytometry. Results USP10 overexpression increased α5β1 (1.9-fold; P < 0.001) and αv (1.7-fold; P < 0.05) integrin recycling, with a concomitant increase in biotinylated FN internalization (2.1-fold; P < 0.05) and recycling over 4 days (1.7–2.2-fold; P < 0.05). The dependence of FN recycling on integrins was demonstrated by α5β1 and αv integrin blocking antibodies, which, compared with control IgG, decreased biotinylated FN recycling (62% and 84%, respectively; P < 0.05). Overall, we established that extracellular FN was composed of approximately 1/3 recycled biotinylated FN and 2/3 endogenously secreted FN. Conclusions Our data suggest that reduced integrin degradation with a subsequent increase in integrin/FN recycling after wounding may be a newly identified mechanism for the characteristic accumulation of ECM in corneal scar tissue.
Association between decreased ovarian reserve and poor oocyte quality

Objective To analyze the association between oocyte quality and decreased ovarian reserve (DOR) markers in young women undergoing controlled ovarian stimulation (COS). Methods This retrospective study included 49 patients classified as having DOR based on anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) levels, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels, or antral follicle counts (AFCs; <10). Images of all obtained oocytes were analyzed, and oocyte quality was classified according to maturity and morphology. The COS protocol utilized gonadotropin (FSH and/or human menopausal gonadotropin [hMG]) doses ranging from 150 to 300 IU/day. The Student’s t test or Mann-Whitney test was used to compare the groups. Spearman’s coefficients were estimated to verify the correlation between the administered dose of FSH/hMG and the number of mature oocytes. To evaluate the association between patient- and oocyte-related variables, logistic regression models were adjusted. Results Women with DOR classified according to FSH level had more immature oocytes (P<0.001). Women with DOR according to AMH had fewer mature oocytes and increased basal FSH levels (P<0.001). Women with DOR according to AFC had an increased risk of abnormally shaped oocytes (P=0.035). Conclusion This study showed that DOR based on AMH levels, FSH levels, and AFC was associated with poorer quality oocytes in young women who underwent COS.
Novel loop neurorrhaphy technique to preserve lower lip sensate in mandibular reconstruction using an innervated vascularized iliac bone flap

This study aimed to introduce a novel loop neurorrhaphy technique using an innervated vascularized iliac bone flap (VIBF) with vascularized ilioinguinal nerve (IIN) to reconstruct the inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) and preserve lower lip sensation simultaneously with mandibular reconstruction.
'The threat is in all of us': Perceptions of loneliness and divided communities in urban and rural areas during COVID‐19

Abstract Loneliness is becoming recognised as an important social issue with health and well‐being consequences. The recent and ongoing COVID‐19 pandemic has likely impacted loneliness through increased social isolation, though the effects may vary across urban and rural locations, where the dynamics of social capital, community cohesion and community divide are likely to differ. This paper consequently examines the different and compounding impacts of isolating disasters, such as bushfires and pandemics, on social capital and loneliness in urban and rural areas of Australia. This article compares experiences of loneliness in rural/regional and urban areas of Australia moving from the aftermath of the 2019–2020 bushfires into the COVID‐19 pandemic. Semi‐structured interviews provide a complex insight into how loneliness is experienced across different locations. The key findings included a higher sense of social divide exacerbating loneliness in rural communities, higher levels of loneliness among participants who lived alone in either area. It was concluded that loneliness was experienced extensively among those who were single and/or lived alone, regardless of their geographical location.
Prevalence and Severity of Hand Eczema in the Dutch General Population: A Cross-sectional, Questionnaire Study within the Lifelines Cohort Study

Data on chronic hand eczema and severity of hand eczema in the general population is scarce. In this cross-sectional study, a questionnaire was sent to 135,950 Lifelines Cohort Study participants, in order to investigate the prevalence and severity of hand eczema in the Dutch general population. In total, 57,798 subjects were included. The lifetime prevalence of hand eczema was 15.0% (95% confidence interval 14.7–15.3), the 1-year prevalence 7.3% (95% confidence interval 7.1–7.6), and the self-reported physician-diagnosed prevalence 6.1% (95% confidence interval 5.9–6.3). The 1-year prevalence of chronic hand eczema was 4.7% (95% confidence interval 4.5–4.9). The majority (56.9%) of the subjects with hand eczema had almost clear at worst ever and the prevalence of severe to very severe hand eczema at worst ever in the general population was 1.9% (95% confidence interval 1.8–2.1). Future epidemiological studies in the general population should include data about chronic hand eczema and severity of hand eczema, as this can provide perspective on the burden of hand eczema.
Relationships within Timmia, especially within T. austriaca Hedw. (Musci, Timmiaceae)

ABSTRACT Introduction Within the moss genus Timmia, three or four sections have been suggested based on morphology. Earlier studies conflicted in suggesting that T. austriaca Hedw. either displays limited phylogeographical structure or includes large molecular variation with potential for geographical structure. Methods Relationships within Timmia were inferred from variation in the nuclear 26S and plastid atpB–rbcL and trnL–trnF. New sequences were generated for 64 specimens of T. austriaca. For other Timmia species, sequences came primarily from earlier studies or GenBank. Key results Timmia includes two main, well-supported molecular lineages. Within T. austriaca, four arctic or subarctic specimens resolved in a small-lineage sister to all other specimens. Conclusions Recognition of two sections is suggested: Timmia Hedw. sect. Timmia (syn. sect. Timmiaurea Brassard; syn. sect. Sphaerocarpa Y.Jia & Yang Liu bis) and sect. Norvegica Brassard. Timmia fossils, including T. austriaca, were deposited at least 3 Myr BP in northernmost North America under a milder climate than presently in that area. It is theorised that plants of the small T. austriaca lineage evolved adaptations to survive only under cold conditions, when the Arctic was gradually cooling. Timmia austriaca disperses easily, and because the numerous temperate region samples studied included no representatives of the northern lineage, the restricted distribution of this lineage is suggested to have resulted from adaptation to cold environments. In situ survival of T. austriaca in Fennoscandia during the Late Glacial Maximum, as previously theorised, is deemed unlikely due to glacial erosion and submergence of large areas as a result of isostatic depression.
Attention and distraction in the predictive brain

ABSTRACT Whether it is possible to ignore a physically salient distractor has been a topic of active debate over the past 25 years, with empirical evidence for and against each of the theoretical stances. We put forward that predictive processing may provide a unified theoretical perspective that can account reasonably well for the empirical literature on attentional capture. In this perspective, capture is a logical consequence of the overall imperative of the brain to predict what sensory signals provide precise information to achieve goal-directed behaviour.
“Biggest Thing Is Saying in English and Punjabi, Too”: Working with Immigrant and Refugee Families and Communities in a Bilingual Family Literacy Program

Abstract The purpose of this study, which employed mixed methods, was to document the implementation of a bilingual family literacy program with immigrant and refugee families from four different language groups in five different communities in a metropolitan area of Canada. Results indicated: 1) the program had a significant impact on children’s early learning, although there was some variation across sites; 2) families appreciated the bilingual format of sessions and the provision of bilingual materials; 3) parents tended to support first language (L1) maintenance, although some expressed anxiety about their children’s English acquisition; and 4) parents expressed concerns, including the need for more explicit instruction, provision of more sessions and a greater focus on school readiness. Although the study indicates the potential of contextually responsive family literacy programs, it also points to the need for nuance and reflexivity on the part of those who work with migrant children and their families.
Gender and quality signals: How does gender influence the effectiveness of signals in crowdfunding?

ABSTRACT Combining signaling theory and gender role congruity theory, this study examines if the quality signals of entrepreneurs and their ventures are perceived differently because of their gender, which, in turn, affects the crowdfunding performance. In a sample of 14,729 campaigns in Kickstarter, this study shows that gender determines the effectiveness of signals in enhancing funding performance, but not uniformly to the disadvantage of women. While females are rewarded less with the signals of competence and qualification, they benefit more from the signal of social ties. This study offers implications for evaluating entrepreneurial projects and strategies for crafting an effective pitch.
Food waste as a consequence of an inefficient consumer’s choices: a microeconomic approach

ABSTRACT This study frames the household food waste challenge in the microeconomic theory context by proposing a model that considers food waste a consequence of inefficient consumer choices. A data envelopment analysis (DEA) methodology was applied to factor consumer’s efficiency level dimension, starting from data collected through a web survey conducted in Italy with a sample of 530 individuals responsible for their households’ food-shopping. The findings confirm that food waste is a complex issue, affected by both behavioural and psychological factors, synthesized in three indices constructed with fuzzy analysis. The results show that the shopping behaviour index generates a higher average efficiency score for food waste minimization than the food waste concerns and moral attitudes indices. Furthermore, those drivers have different efficiency levels in reducing food waste with reference to gender, age, family composition, and educational level. The results have several implications for policymakers: they highlight the need to implement tailored educational and information campaigns that consider the most important targets identified, such as large families with children, young people, and men.
Introducing palaeolithobiology

ABSTRACT A growing literature of deep but also surficial fossilized remains of lithobiological life, often associated with igneous rocks, necessitates the unfolding of a sub-discipline within paleobiology. Here, we introduce the term paleolithobiology as the new auxiliary sub-discipline under which fossilized lithobiology should be handled. We present key criteria that distinguish the paleolithobiological archive from the traditional one and discuss sample strategies as well as scientific perspectives. A majority of paleolithobiological material consists of deep biosphere fossils, and in order to highlight the relevance of these, we present new data on fungal fossils from the Lockne impact crater. Fungal fossils in the Lockne drill cores have been described previously but here we provide new insights into the presence of reproductive structures that indicate the fungi to be indigenous. We also show that these fungi frequently dissolve and penetrate secondary calcite, delineating the role lithobionts plays in geobiological cycles. We hope that the formalization of the sub-discipline paleolithobiology will not only highlight an overlooked area of paleobiology as well as simplify future studies of endo- and epilithic fossil material, but also improve our understanding of the history of the deep biosphere.
Size, connectivity and edge effects of stream habitats explain spatio-temporal variation in brown trout (Salmo trutta) density

Ecological theory postulates that the size and isolation of habitat patches impact the colonization/extinction dynamics that determine community species richness and population persistence. Given the key role of lotic habitats for life-history completion in rheophilic fish, evaluating how the distribution of swift-flowing habitats affects the abundance and dynamics of subpopulations is essential. Using extensive electrofishing data, we show that merging island biogeography with meta-population theory, where lotic habitats are considered as islands in a lentic matrix, can explain spatio-temporal variation in occurrence and density of brown trout (Salmo trutta). Subpopulations in larger and less isolated lotic habitat patches had higher average densities and smaller between-year density fluctuations. Larger lotic habitat patches also had a lower predicted risk of excessive zero-catches, indicative of lower extinction risk. Trout density further increased with distance from the edge of adjacent lentic habitats with predator (Esox lucius) presence, suggesting that edge- and matrix-related mortality contributes to the observed patterns. These results can inform the prioritization of sites for habitat restoration, dam removal and reintroduction by highlighting the role of suitable habitat size and connectivity in population abundance and stability for riverine fish populations.
Flying bats use serial sampling to locate odour sources

Olfactory tracking generally sacrifices speed for sensitivity, but some fast-moving animals appear surprisingly efficient at foraging by smell. Here, we analysed the olfactory tracking strategies of flying bats foraging for fruit. Fruit- and nectar-feeding bats use odour cues to find food despite the sensory challenges derived from fast flight speeds and echolocation. We trained Jamaican fruit-eating bats (Artibeus jamaicensis) to locate an odour reward and reconstructed their flight paths in three-dimensional space. Results confirmed that bats relied upon olfactory cues to locate a reward. Flight paths revealed a combination of odour- and memory-guided search strategies. During ‘inspection flights’, bats significantly reduced flight speeds and flew within approximately 6 cm of possible targets to evaluate the presence or absence of the odour cue. This behaviour combined with echolocation explains how bats maximize foraging efficiency while compensating for trade-offs associated with olfactory detection and locomotion.
Census of heat tolerance among Florida's threatened staghorn corals finds resilient individuals throughout existing nursery populations

The rapid loss of reef-building corals owing to ocean warming is driving the development of interventions such as coral propagation and restoration, selective breeding and assisted gene flow. Many of these interventions target naturally heat-tolerant individuals to boost climate resilience, but the challenges of quickly and reliably quantifying heat tolerance and identifying thermotolerant individuals have hampered implementation. Here, we used coral bleaching automated stress systems to perform rapid, standardized heat tolerance assays on 229 colonies of Acropora cervicornis across six coral nurseries spanning Florida's Coral Reef, USA. Analysis of heat stress dose–response curves for each colony revealed a broad range in thermal tolerance among individuals (approx. 2.5°C range in Fv/Fm ED50), with highly reproducible rankings across independent tests (r = 0.76). Most phenotypic variation occurred within nurseries rather than between them, pointing to a potentially dominant role of fixed genetic effects in setting thermal tolerance and widespread distribution of tolerant individuals throughout the population. The identification of tolerant individuals provides immediately actionable information to optimize nursery and restoration programmes for Florida's threatened staghorn corals. This work further provides a blueprint for future efforts to identify and source thermally tolerant corals for conservation interventions worldwide.
Time-varying Bose–Einstein condensates

Bose–Einstein condensates (BECs), a state of matter formed when a low-density gas of bosons is cooled to near absolute zero, continue to motivate novel work in theoretical and experimental physics. Although BECs are most commonly studied in stationary ground states, time-varying BECs arise when some aspect of the physics governing the condensate varies as a function of time. We study the evolution of time-varying BECs under non-autonomous Gross–Pitaevskii equations (GPEs) through a mix of theory and numerical experiments. We separately derive a perturbation theory (in the small-parameter limit) and a variational approximation for non-autonomous GPEs on generic bounded space domains. We then explore various routes to obtain time-varying BECs, starting with the more standard techniques of varying the potential, scattering length, or dispersion, and then moving on to more advanced control mechanisms such as moving the external potential well over time to move or even split the BEC cloud. We also describe how to modify a BEC cloud through evolution of the size or curvature of the space domain. Our results highlight a variety of interesting theoretical routes for studying and controlling time-varying BECs, lending a stronger theoretical formulation for existing experiments and suggesting new directions for future investigation.
Natural disturbance impacts on trade-offs and co-benefits of forest biodiversity and carbon

With accelerating environmental change, understanding forest disturbance impacts on trade-offs between biodiversity and carbon dynamics is of high socio-economic importance. Most studies, however, have assessed immediate or short-term effects of disturbance, while long-term impacts remain poorly understood. Using a tree-ring-based approach, we analysed the effect of 250 years of disturbances on present-day biodiversity indicators and carbon dynamics in primary forests. Disturbance legacies spanning centuries shaped contemporary forest co-benefits and trade-offs, with contrasting, local-scale effects. Disturbances enhanced carbon sequestration, reaching maximum rates within a comparatively narrow post-disturbance window (up to 50 years). Concurrently, disturbance diminished aboveground carbon storage, which gradually returned to peak levels over centuries. Temporal patterns in biodiversity potential were bimodal; the first maximum coincided with the short-term post-disturbance carbon sequestration peak, and the second occurred during periods of maximum carbon storage in complex old-growth forest. Despite fluctuating local-scale trade-offs, forest biodiversity and carbon storage remained stable across the broader study region, and our data support a positive relationship between carbon stocks and biodiversity potential. These findings underscore the interdependencies of forest processes, and highlight the necessity of large-scale conservation programmes to effectively promote both biodiversity and long-term carbon storage, particularly given the accelerating global biodiversity and climate crises.