Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Ontogenetic Development of Hemispheric Lateralization During Face Processing: A Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Pilot Study in 7- to 9-Year-old Children

Face processing is mediated by a distributed neural network commonly divided into a “core system” and an “extended system”. The core system consists of several, typically right-lateralized brain regions in the occipito-temporal cortex, including the occipital face area (OFA), the fusiform face area (FFA) and the posterior superior temporal sulcus (pSTS). It was recently proposed that the face processing network is initially bilateral and becomes right-specialized in the course of the development of reading abilities due to the competition between language-related regions in the left occipito-temporal cortex (e.g., the visual word form area) and the FFA for common neural resources. The goal of the present pilot study was to prepare the basis for a larger follow-up study assessing the ontogenetic development of the lateralization of the face processing network. More specifically, we aimed on the one hand to establish a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) paradigm suitable for assessing activation in the core system of face processing in young children at the single subject level, and on the other hand to calculate the necessary group size for the planned follow-up study. Twelve children aged 7-9 years, and ten adults were measured with a face localizer task that was specifically adapted for children. Our results showed that it is possible to localize the core system’s brain regions in children even at the single subject level. We further found a (albeit non-significant) trend for increased right-hemispheric lateralization of all three regions in adults compared to children, with the largest effect for the FFA (estimated effect size d=0.78, indicating medium to large effects). Using these results as basis for an informed power analysis, we estimated that an adequately powered (sensitivity 0.8) follow-up study testing developmental changes of FFA lateralization would require the inclusion of 18 children and 26 adults.
Intrinsic dynamics enhance temporal stability of stimulus representation along a visual cortical hierarchy

Summary Along the ventral stream, cortical representations of brief, static stimuli become gradually more invariant to identity-preserving transformations. In the presence of long, ethologically relevant dynamic stimuli, higher invariance should imply temporally persistent representations at the top of this functional hierarchy. However, such stimuli could engage adaptive and predictive processes, whose impact on neural coding dynamics is unknown. More generally, coding dynamics in the presence of temporally structured stimuli are not understood. By probing the rodent analogue of the ventral stream with movies, we uncovered a hierarchy of temporal scales along this pathway, with deeper areas encoding visual information more persistently. Furthermore, the impact of intrinsic dynamics on the stability of stimulus representations gradually grows along the hierarchy. These results suggest that feedforward computations in the cortical hierarchy build up invariance even for dynamic, temporally structured stimuli, and that intrinsic processing contributes to the stabilization of representations in noisy, changing environments.
Identifying Pioneers of Tomorrow: A study of the relationship between middle school students' innovator skills and STEM interests

This quantitative survey study explored the innovator skills and STEM interests of students at a middle school in the Pacific Northwest. The purpose of the study was to determine whether a relationship existed between students’ innovator skills, STEM content and career interests, and plans to attend post-secondary education. The literature review describes an increasing need for graduates with innovator skills and STEM interests. Additionally, the current state of innovator education is shared with a focus on STEM education. Social Cognitive Career Theory and Aptitude-Treatment Interaction are presented as frameworks for consideration with regard to which internal and external influences affect student interests. This study employed the Youth Innovation Skills Measurement Tool (YISMT) and the STEM-Student Survey for Middle and High School Students (S-STEM) along with a demographic survey to collect quantitative data. The results revealed significant relationships between innovator skills, STEM content areas, and career interests. In an exploratory phase, gender and grade level were examined with respect to the dependent variables. The researcher identified several significant differences between males and females on the dependent measures. Further, eighth graders scored significantly higher on several dependent measures than did sixth graders. While there are some study limitations, the findings suggest opportunities for instructional adjustments for further development of innovator skills and STEM interests which in turn will likely increase the number of STEM career-oriented graduates with innovator skills. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed with regard to the findings and suggestions for future research are presented.
In Vivo Study of Key Transcription Factors in Muscle Satellite Cells by CRISPR/Cas9/AAV9-sgRNA Mediated Genome Editing

Skeletal muscle satellite cells (SCs) are adult muscle stem cells responsible for injury induced muscle regeneration. Despite advances in the knowledge of molecular mechanisms regulating SC lineage progression, our understanding of key transcription factors (TFs) and their regulatory functions in SCs in particularly the quiescent and early activation stages remains incomplete due to the lack of efficient method to screen and investigate the stage-specific key TFs. In this study, we succeeded in defining a distinct list of key TFs in early stages of SC fate transition using the paradigm of super enhancers (SEs). Particularly, leveraging the Cre-dependent Cas9 knockin mice and AAV9 mediated sgRNAs delivery, we generated a facile muscle specific genome editing system which allows gene depletion in SCs in vivo. Using MyoD locus as a proof of concept, we demonstrated that this CRISPR/Cas9/AAV9-sgRNA system can efficiently introduce mutagenesis at target locus and recapture the phenotypes reported in knockout mice. Further application of the system on key TFs, Myc, Bcl6 and Pknox2, revealed their distinct functions in the early stage of SC activation and damage induced muscle regeneration. Altogether our findings have proven the CRISPR/Cas9/AAV9-sgRNA system as a robust way for in vivo genome editing and elucidation of key factors governing SC activities.
Cerebellar patients have intact feedback control that can be leveraged to improve reaching

It is thought that the brain does not simply react to sensory feedback, but rather uses an internal model of the body to predict the consequences of motor commands before sensory feedback arrives. Time-delayed sensory feedback can then be used to correct for the unexpected—perturbations, motor noise, or a moving target. The cerebellum has been implicated in this predictive control process. Here we show that the feedback gain in patients with cerebellar ataxia matches that of healthy subjects, but that patients exhibit substantially more phase lag. This difference is captured by a computational model incorporating a Smith predictor in healthy subjects that is missing in patients, supporting the predictive role of the cerebellum in feedback control. Lastly, we improve cerebellar patients’ movement control by altering (phase advancing) the visual feedback they receive from their own self movement in a simplified virtual reality setup.
Inverse and Direct Cancer Comorbidity in People with Central Nervous System Disorders: a meta-analysis of cancer incidence in 577,013 participants of 50 observational studies.

There is a lack of scientific consensus about cancer comorbidity in people with CNS disorders. This study assesses the co-occurrence of cancers, overall and by subtype, in patients with CNS disorders, in general and individually, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), autism spectrum disorders (ASD), Down’s syndrome (DS), Huntington's disease (HD), multiple sclerosis (MS), Parkinson's disease (PD) and schizophrenia (SCZ). Method: Comprehensive search in PubMed/MEDLINE, SCOPUS and ISI Web of Knowledge of the literature published before March 2013. We identified 51 relevant articles from 2,229 discrete references, 50 of which contained data suitable for quantitative synthesis (577,013 participants). Pooled effect sizes (ES) were calculated using multiple random-effects meta-analyses. Sources of heterogeneity and uncertainty were explored by means of previously defined subgroup and sensitivity analyses, respectively. Results: The presence of CNS disorders was associated with a reduced co-occurrence of cancer (ES = 0.92; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.87-0.98; I2 = 94.5%). A consistently lower overall co-occurrence of cancer was detected in patients with neurodegenerative disorders (0.80; 0.75-0.86; 82.8%), and in those with AD (0.32; 0.22-0.46; 0.0%), PD (0.83; 0.76- 0.91; 80.0%), MS (0.91; 0.87-0.95; 30.3%), and HD (0.53; 0.42-0.67; 56.4%). Patients with DS had a higher overall co-occurrence of cancer (1.46; 1.08-1.96; 87.9%). No association was observed between cancer and ALS (0.97; 0.76-1.25; 0.0%) or SCZ (0.98; 0.90-1.07; 96.3%). Patients with PD, MS and SCZ showed (a) higher co-occurrence of some specific cancers (e.g., PD with melanoma, MS with brain cancers and SCZ with breast cancer); and (b) lower co-occurrence of other specific cancers (e.g., lung, prostate and colorectal cancers in PD; lung and prostate cancer in MS; and melanoma and prostate cancer in SCZ). Conclusion: Increased and decreased co-occurrence of cancer in patients with CNS disorders represents an opportunity to discover biological and non-biological connections between these complex disorders
Identification of Escherichia coli O157: H7 from Slaughtered Beef in Mashhad Using Biochemical and Molecular Methods

According to the results of this study, it can be concluded that beef can be considered as a major reservoir for E. coli O157:H7 and there is a potential for transmission of this pathogen to humans through the consumption of beef and its products. Also, the specific primers of rfbE gene were able to differentiate the E. coli O157:H7 colonies from other cultured colonies on the culture medium during the PCR process. The present research was performed for the first time in the city of Mashhad.
A comparative analysis among ADAR mutant mice reveals site-specific regulation of RNA editing

Adenosine-to-inosine RNA editing is an essential posttranscriptional modification catalyzed by adenosine deaminase acting on RNA (ADAR)1 and ADAR2 in mammals. For numerous sites in coding sequences (CDS) and microRNAs (miRNAs), editing is highly conserved and has significant biological consequences, for example, by altering amino acid residues and target recognition. However, technical limitations have prevented a comprehensive and quantitative study to determine how specific ADARs contribute to each site. Here, we developed a simple method in which each RNA region with an editing site was amplified separately and combined for deep sequencing. Using this method, we compared the editing ratios of all sites that were either definitely or possibly conserved in CDS and miRNAs in the cerebral cortex and spleen of wild-type mice, Adar1E861A/E861AIfih−/− mice expressing inactive ADAR1 (Adar1 KI) and Adar2−/−Gria2R/R (Adar2 KO) mice. We found that the editing ratio was frequently upregulated in either Adar mutant mouse strain. In contrast, we found that the presence of both ADAR1 and ADAR2 was required for the efficient editing of specific sites. In addition, some sites, such as miR-3099-3p, showed no preference for either ADAR. We further created double mutant Adar1 KI Adar2 KO mice and observed viable and fertile animals with complete absence of editing, suggesting that ADAR1 and ADAR2 are the sole enzymes responsible for all editing sites in vivo. Collectively, these findings indicate that editing is regulated in a site-specific manner by the different interplay between ADAR1 and ADAR2.
The Elephant in the room: What can we learn from California regarding the use of sport hunting of pumas (Puma concolor) as a management tool?

Pumas (Puma concolor) in 10 western states of the U.S. have been managed through the use of a sport hunt. The rational for this management technique is that puma populations needed to be hunted to reduce threats to human safety, their livestock, and wild ungulate populations. We evaluated these claims with the state of California as a control, which has prohibited sport hunting since 1972. We tested four hypotheses: 1) Sport hunting reduces puma density, 2) Sport hunting reduces problematic puma-human encounters, 3) Sport hunting reduces puma predation on livestock, and 4) Sport hunting reduces the impact of puma predation on wild ungulate numbers. Results indicated: 1) Puma densities did not differ between California and sport hunting states, 2) California was the 3rd lowest in per capita puma-human incidents. 3) The per capita loss of sheep was significantly lower (t = 5.7, P < 0.001) and the per capita loss of cattle in California did not differ significantly, from the other 10 states (P = 0.13). 4). Changes in annual deer populations in California correlated with changes in other states (F = 95.4, P < 0.001, R2 = 0.68) and average deer densities in California did not differ significantly from the other states. We concluded that sport hunting of pumas as a management tool has not produced the outcomes sought by wildlife managers and may even exacerbate conflicts between pumas and humans. It is suggested that state agencies re-assess the use of sport hunting as a management tool for pumas.
A cross sectional study on work related musculoskeletal disorders among software professionals

Background: This study has been carried out to determine the prevalence and pattern of Musculo Skeletal Disorders (MSD) among software professionals and to evaluate the association between socio-demographic factors, computer work related factors and MSD. Methods: The study design was cross sectional with software professionals working in information technology (IT) companies in Chennai, Tamilnadu as the study population. The sampling method used for the survey is the non-probabilistic purposive sampling. Data was collected using a questionnaire which includes personal data, job details and standardized Nordic questionnaire. Results: Prevalence of work related MSD during last 12 months, during last 7 days and annual disability were 69%, 49.2% and 16.6% respectively. The common prevalence of work related MSD reported during last 12 months based on their body region were neck (29.56%), lower back (22.89%), shoulders (12.17%) and knees (9.56%). There was a statistically significant difference in terms of gender, regular exercise, more than 5 working days per week, more than eight hours of work per day and habit of taking lesser breaks during work hours at regular intervals. There were no statistically significant difference in terms of age, BMI and years of employment. Conclusions: The study has concluded that MSD is widely reported among software professionals working in the IT field in India. Hence, an appropriate prevention strategy needs to be carried out in order to enable them work comfortably.
Genetic Diversity of Microbial Eukaryotes in the Pelagic and Littoral Zones of Lake Taihu, China

Genetic diversity of microbial eukaryotes (0.8-20 μm) and its seasonal variation in the pelagic and littoral zones were investigated from in Meiliang Bay of Lake Taihu in China. The water samples were collected in four seasons (February, May, August, and November). The genetic diversity of microbial eukaryote was analyzed by terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) of PCR-amplified partial eukaryotic 18S rRNA fragments. T-RFLP indicated that the microbial eukaryotic community compositions differed between the pelagic and littoral zone, but the difference decreased in warm seasons. The main environmental factors which affected on the variations of microbial eukaryotic community compositions in pelagic and littoral zones were revealed by multivariate statistical analysis. The canonical correspondence analysis between the genetic diversity of microbial eukaryotes and environmental factors revealed the trophic status had the most important impact on the microbial eukaryotic communities. Besides, a strong top-down regulation of microbial eukaryotes by zooplanktons was found in summer.
Vancomycin Utilization Evaluation in a teaching hospital: A case- series study in Iran.

Background: Increasing antimicrobial resistance is now a critical point of human being in the world. Especially wide spectrum antibiotics resistance germs like vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) should be dealt as soon as possible as an emergency conflict. Our study tries to reveal the amount of irrational use of vancomycin in a teaching hospital in Iran. Methods: We elected the whole inpatients that received vancomycin between February 2007 and May 2008. Results : Forty four out of those 45 patients had inappropriate indication and dosing regimen of vancomycin (97.7%). The most use of vancomycin was recorded in hematology – oncology ward and then Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Culture responses were negative despite great clinical evidence of infection. Conclusion: Vancomycin irrational use was high compared to other countries and it could be concerned as a major health problem by health policy makers and physicians to deal. However more detailed researches are needed to reveal the other aspects of this problem. Implementation of antibiotic protocols and standard treatment guidelines are recommended.
Habitat type drives the distribution of non‐indigenous species in fouling communities regardless of associated maritime traffic

Biological invasions and changes in land and sea use are among the five major causes of global biodiversity decline. Shipping and ocean sprawl (multiplication of artificial structures at the expense of natural habitats) are considered as the major forces responsible for marine invasions and biotic homogenization. And yet, there is little evidence of their interplay at multiple spatial scales. Here, we aimed to examine this interaction and the extent to which the type of artificial habitat alters the distribution of native and non‐indigenous biodiversity.
Butterflies in corridors: quality matters for specialists

Agricultural intensification and subsequent landscape homogenisation have caused severe losses of insects across major parts of Europe. In consequence, most animal and plant populations today exist in small and isolated habitat patches. Thus, there is an urgent need to increase landscape permeability to foster the exchange of individuals and thereby to promote the long‐term persistence of populations and species. Corridors can help to connect local habitats and populations. Nonetheless, whether species use a corridor and how species behave in a corridor strongly depend on species' ecology and the quality of the corridor. In this study, we analysed the behaviour of 753 individuals of five butterfly species of the subfamily Satyrinae (Coenonympha pamphilus, C. arcania, Maniola jurtina, Melanargia galathea, and Erebia medusa) in a high‐quality habitat, in two corridors with different habitat qualities, and in arable fields. Butterflies undertake more frequent and much longer flights in arable fields, and a more range‐restricted behaviour with perching and visiting of flowers in corridors and inside the original high‐quality habitat. Specialist butterflies only rarely leave the corridor and fly into the matrix if compared with generalist butterfly species. Furthermore, the relative difference in the probability of leaving a corridor was much more pronounced between the two corridor qualities for specialists than for generalists. In conclusion, corridors with high habitat quality, such as many flowering plants, support species and population persistence. Specialist species especially respond to corridor quality, such as the availability of flowers or a calcareous grassland‐like species composition.
Forecasting mussel settlement using historical data and boosted regression trees

Many aquaculture sectors internationally, most notably for the cultivation of bi valves, rely almost completely on wild-caught juveniles (‘spat’) to stock farms, with poor ‘catches’ representing one the biggest constraints on global production. An example of this practice is green-lipped mussel Perna canaliculus aquaculture in New Zealand, where the industry in the main growing region has been monitoring P. canaliculus settlement for almost 40 yr. This practice involves deploying settlement arrays across the region to guide the places and times to place spatcatching rope. Using a subset of these data spanning 25 yr (1993−2018), we identified regional spatio-temporal patterns of P. canaliculus spat settlement. Boosted regression tree (BRT) models were used to forecast settlement at 2 different sub-regions with consistent high catch yields. BRT models confirmed a strong seasonal influence on settlement, with highest predicted settlement levels coinciding with the main P. canaliculus spawning period (late summer to autumn). Positive relationships were detected between settlement and the occurrence of positive temperature anomalies, easterly winds, periods of large tidal range and Southern Ocean Oscillation Index values associated with La Niña episodes. The models were able to forecast P. canaliculus settlement with excellent prediction accuracy based on time of year and environmental conditions 1 mo prior to collection. This study highlights the benefit of undertaking long-term monitoring of spat settlement and the related environmental factors that affect this ecological process. In combination with advance modelling techniques that enable forecasting of settlement densities, such knowledge can help to overcome challenges in spat supply and enable production upscaling.
Evaluation of Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone and Insemination Time Using the CO-Synch Protocol in Beef Cows

Abstract The objectives of this study were to evaluate optimal timing for timed AI ( TAI ) using a CO-Synch protocol with or without gonadotropin-releasing hormone ( GnRH ) at TAI and calf removal. Multiparous composite and Hereford suckling beef cows (n = 226) from two separate calving seasons (March and April or May and June) were synchronized for AI. Early- ( ECC ) and late-calving cows (LCC) were randomly assigned to one of four treatment groups for a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement of treatments. All cows were injected with 100 μg of GnRH on d 0 followed by 25 mg of prostaglandin F 2α ( PGF 2α ) on d 7. All calves were removed at time of PGF 2α injection and returned to nurse at TAI. One-half of the cows were inseminated at 48 h post-PGF 2α with ( 48-TAI-G ) or without ( 48-TAI ) GnRH and the other one-half were inseminated at 72 h post-PGF 2α with ( 72-TAI-G ) or without ( 72-TAI ) GnRH. Pregnancy rates to TAI were not affected (P>0.10) by season; therefore, data from both ECC and LCC were combined. Body condition and postpartum interval did not influence fertility (P>0.10); however, TAI pregnancy rates increased (P 2α plus the addition of GnRH at TAI improved pregnancy rates in suckled beef cows.