Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
No need to touch this: Bimanual haptic slant adaptation does not require touch

In our daily life, we often interact with objects using both hands raising the question the question to what extent information between the hands is shared. It has, for instance, been shown that curvature adaptation aftereffects can transfer from the adapted hand to the non-adapted hand. However, this transfer only occurred for dynamic exploration, e.g. by moving a single finger over a surface, but not for static exploration when keeping static contact with the surface and combining the information from different parts of the hand. This raises the question to what extent adaptation to object shape is shared between the hands when both hands are used in static fashion simultaneously and the object shape estimates require information from both hands. Here we addressed this question in three experiments using a slant adaptation paradigm. In Experiment 1 we investigated whether an aftereffect of static bimanual adaptation occurs at all and whether it transfers to conditions in which one hand was moving. In Experiment 2 participants adapted either to a felt slanted surface or simply be holding their hands in mid-air at similar positions, to investigate to what extent the effects of static bimanual adaptation are posture-based rather than object based. Experiment 3 further explored the idea that bimanual adaptation is largely posture based. We found that bimanual adaptation using static touch did lead to aftereffects when using the same static exploration mode for testing. However, the aftereffect did not transfer to any exploration mode that included a dynamic component. Moreover, we found similar aftereffects both with and without a haptic surface. Thus, we conclude that static bimanual adaptation is of proprioceptive nature and does not occur at the level at which the object is represented.
Flower Abortion and Fruit Yield Responses of Two Varieties of Chilli Pepper (Capsicum frutescens L.) to Different Planting Dates and Plant Densities

Field and laboratory experiments were carried out between April 2014 and March 2015 to evaluate the effects of planting date and density on flower abortion and fruit yield of two chilli varieties. The field trial was laid out in 2x3x3 factorial experiment in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with 3 replications. The factors studied included two chilli varieties (Shito Adope and Legon-18); three planting dates (May 12, 2014; June 13, 2014; and September 29, 2014); and plant spacing at three levels (60 cm x 30 cm; 70 cm x 30 cm; 80 cm x 30 cm). The field study was conducted at the Crops Research Institute-Kwadaso Station, Kumasi, Ghana. Growth and yield were evaluated during the study period. Legon-18 exhibited higher performance than Shito Adope for parameters such as plant height, branch numbers, canopy width and fruit yield, number. In contrast, Shito Adope took fewer days to attain 50% flowering and fruit set. Shito Adope also recorded higher flower drops. Dates of sowing significantly affected growth and seed quality parameters with the May and June recording taller plants, more branches, wider canopies, and higher fruit yield. Early flowering and fruit set were attained during the same period; while flower drops were more prevalent during the first and third dates of sowing. Planting density showed no Original Research Article Mends-Cole et al.; ACRI, 16(1): 1-11, 2019; Article no.ACRI. 46845 2 significant effect on all parameters studied except plant height, with the widest spacing (80 x 30) recording the tallest plant heights. The results indicates that for periods with extremely high temperatures should be avoided as they tend to increase the rate of flower drops.
B Lymphocyte–Derived CCL7 Augments Neutrophil and Monocyte Recruitment, Exacerbating Acute Kidney Injury

Key Points AKI is a serious condition affecting one fifth of hospital patients. In AKI, B cells produce CCL7 and facilitate neutrophil and monocyte recruitment. CCL7 blockade in mice reduces myeloid cell infiltration and ameliorates AKI. Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a serious condition affecting one fifth of hospital inpatients. B lymphocytes have immunological functions beyond Ab production and may produce cytokines and chemokines that modulate inflammation. In this study, we investigated leukocyte responses in a mouse model of AKI and observed an increase in circulating and kidney B cells, particularly a B220low subset, following AKI. We found that B cells produce the chemokine CCL7, with the potential to facilitate neutrophil and monocyte recruitment to the injured kidney. Siglec-G–deficient mice, which have increased numbers of B220low innate B cells and a lower B cell activation threshold, had increased Ccl7 transcripts, increased neutrophil and monocyte numbers in the kidney, and more severe AKI. CCL7 blockade in mice reduced myeloid cell infiltration into the kidney and ameliorated AKI. In two independent cohorts of human patients with AKI, we observed significantly higher CCL7 transcripts compared with controls, and in a third cohort, we observed an increase in urinary CCL7 levels in AKI, supporting the clinical importance of this pathway. Together, our data suggest that B cells contribute to early sterile inflammation in AKI via the production of leukocyte-recruiting chemokines.
The Effect of Psychotherapy on Quality of Life in IBD Patients: A Systematic Review

Abstract Background Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) express a need for additional psychotherapy; however, psychological support is not incorporated in the routine care of persons with IBD. This systematic review aims to assess the effect of psychotherapy on quality of life (QoL). Methods A systematic search was conducted on October 7, 2019, using Embase, Medline (Ovid), PubMed, Cochrane, Web of Science, PsycInfo, and Google Scholar to collect all types of clinical trials with psychotherapeutic interventions that measured QoL in patients with IBD aged ≥18 years. Quality of evidence was systematically assessed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation criteria. Results Out of 2560 articles, 31 studies (32 articles) were included with a total number of 2397 patients with active and inactive IBD. Of the 31 eligible studies, 11 reported a significant positive effect and 6 had ambiguous results regarding the impact of psychotherapeutic interventions on QoL. Treatment modalities differed in the reported studies and consisted of cognitive-behavioral therapy, psychodynamic therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, stress management programs, mindfulness, hypnosis, or solution-focused therapy. All 4 studies focusing on patients with active disease reported a positive effect of psychotherapy. Trials applying cognitive-behavioral therapy reported the most consistent positive results. Conclusions Psychotherapeutic interventions can improve QoL in patients with IBD. More high-quality research is needed before psychological therapy may be implemented in daily IBD practice and to evaluate whether early psychological intervention after diagnosis will result in better coping strategies and QoL throughout life.
Measuring the intensity of disturbancein zooplankton communities of Mediterranean salt marshes using multivariate analysis

The possibility of using multivariate analysis for measuring disturbance intensity in fluctuating ecosystems is discussed. As an example, two variables derived from the results of correspondence analysis of aquatic invertebrate samples from the Aiguamolls de l’Emporda (NE Spain), Mediterranean salt marshes, are proposed as measures of the severity and intensity of disturbance. The behaviour of these variables allows us to discuss several topics of disturbance theory, such as the relationship between disturbance intensity and the distribution of planktonic biomass by size, stability and diversity. A better adjustment to a curve (r 2 = 0.743) is obtained when testing Connell’s intermediate disturbance hypothesis when evenness and severity are used to measure diversity and disturbance, respectively. This hypothesis may be expressed as follows: at intermediate severity, the maximum links between present species are found. These measurements are simple to obtain and may be useful tools for the management of Mediterranean ecosystems. Although they cannot be directly applied to other ecosystems, a relationship between multivariate results and measurements of disturbance might be observed in similar ecosystems if analogies between some multivariate results and the flux of external energy are investigated.
Preparation and Evaluation of Ternary Polymeric Blends for Controlled Release Matrices Containing Weakly Basic Model Drug.

OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to evaluate the suitability of ternary mixture of smart polymers comprised of Eudragit®E100, Eudragit®L100, and sodium alginate to serve as a carrier for sustained drug release for weakly basic drugs. The model drug chosen in this part of the study is Metronidazole. METHODS Matrix tablets formulations were prepared by either direct compression or by wet granulation. Dissolution studies were conducted using USP XXΠ rotating paddle apparatus in three different consecutive stages (pH 1.2, 4.8 and 6.8). Tablets made of low to intermediate proportions of sodium alginate and an approximately equal proportions of Eudragit®E100 and Eudragit®L100 were found to have significant modification of drug release rates. RESULT Thus, indicating a potential for controlling the drug release for 12 hours depending on polymers ratios in the formulation. The ratio of sodium alginate to total Eudragit® polymers and the ratio of Eudragit®E100 to Eudragit®L100 within the ternary polymeric composition were found critical in determining the controlled release performance. CONCLUSION Results of swelling studies were in agreement with the dissolution behaviors of the tablets. The findings suggest the significance of the ternary polymeric compositions in controlling the release of weakly basic drug.
Systematic Review of Changes and Recovery in Physical Function and Fitness After Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome–Related Coronavirus Infection: Implications for COVID-19 Rehabilitation

Abstract Objectives 1) Compare physical function and fitness outcomes in people infected with SARS-CoV to healthy controls; 2) quantify the recovery of physical function and fitness following SARS-CoV infection; 3) determine the effects of exercise following SARS-CoV infection. Methods Four databases (CINAHL, MEDLINE, ProQuest, and Web of Science Core Collections) were searched in April 2020 using keywords relating to SARS-CoV, physical function, fitness, and exercise. Observational studies or randomised controlled trials were included if they involved people following SARS-CoV infection and either assessed the change or recovery in physical function/fitness or evaluated the effects exercise postinfection. Results 10 articles were included in this review. Evidence from nine articles demonstrated that SARS-CoV patients had reduced levels of physical function and fitness postinfection in comparison to healthy controls. Furthermore, patients demonstrated incomplete recovery of physical function, with some experiencing residual impairments 1 to 2 years postinfection. Evidence from one randomised controlled trial found that a combined aerobic and resistance training intervention significantly improved physical function and fitness postinfection in comparison to a control group. Conclusions Physical function and fitness are impaired following SARS-CoV infection, and impairments may persist up to 1 to 2 years postinfection. Researchers and clinicians can use these findings to understand the potential impairments and rehabilitation needs of people recovering from the current COVID-19 outbreak. While one study demonstrated that exercise can improve physical function and fitness postinfection, further research is required to determine the effectiveness of exercise in people recovering from similar infections (eg, COVID-19). Impact statement Considering the similarities in pathology and clinical presentation of SARS-CoV and COVID-19, it is likely that COVID-19 patients will present with similar impairments to physical function. Accordingly, research is required to measure the extent of functional impairments in COVID-19 cohorts. In addition, research should evaluate whether rehabilitation interventions such as exercise can promote postinfection recovery.
Genealogy and gene flow among annual domesticated species of Cucurbita

Over the years, workers have gathered data from various sources in the attempt to understand the evolutionary histories and relationships of the domesticated members of Cucurbita. We used allozyme data to address questions of genealogy, interspecific gene flow, and allelic diversity for 23 commercial cultivars and 17 indigenous landraces of C. maxima, C. mixta, C. moschata, and C. pepo. Allelic diversity was greatest in C. pepo (especially ssp. ovifera) and C. moschata, reflecting complex histories for these taxa. Cucurbita maxima and C. mixta were relatively homogeneous despite morphological heterogeneity. Infraspecific classifications based on morphological characters were not supported by the allozyme data for C. maxima, C. mixta, and C. moschata. The allozymes supported morphological evidence of introgression from C. mixta in Oriental cultivars and southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico landraces of C. moschata. Phylogenetic analyses indicated that C. moschata and C. mixta are probably sis.
Population density and nesting behaviour of lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) in the Ngotto forest, Central African Republic

The population density and nesting behaviour of gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) was studied in the Ngotto forest, Central African Republic. We carried out a nest count along 94 km of transects. Also, the herbaceous vegetation of the understory was quantified and we attempted to assess the decay rate of nest sites. A total of 145 gorilla nests in 27 nest sites was found. We found 82.1% of gorilla nests > 2 m above ground. There was a significant correlation between the height of nests and the diameter of trees with nests. The density was estimated at 0.34–0.40 weaned gorillas per km2 depending on the value of nest site decay rate used. The herbaceous vegetation was scarce in the study site (42 out of 50 quadrats had no herbaceous stems). Compared with the gorilla population of the nearby Dzanga-Sangha forest, the population density of gorillas at Ngotto was lower but the proportion of nests found above ground was much higher. These differences are discussed and we suggest that they were the result of the scarcity of herbaceous vegetation in the Ngotto forest.
Insulin deficiency, but not resistance, exaggerates cognitive deficits in transgenic mice expressing human amyloid and tau proteins. Reversal by Exendin‐4 treatment

Epidemiological studies have pointed at diabetes as a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD) and this has been supported by several studies in animal models of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. However, side‐by‐side comparison of the two types of diabetes is limited. We investigated the role of insulin deficiency and insulin resistance in the development of memory impairments and the effect of Exendin‐4 (Ex4) treatment in a mouse model of AD. Three–4‐month‐old female wild type (WT) mice and mice overexpressing human tau and amyloid precursor protein (TAPP) were injected with streptozotocin (STZ) or fed a high‐fat diet (HFD). A second study was performed in TAPP‐STZ mice treated with Ex4, a long‐lasting analog of GLP‐1. Plasma and brain were collected at study termination for ELISA, Western blot, and immunohistochemistry analysis. Learning and memory deficits were impaired in TAPP transgenic mice compared with WT mice at the end of the study. Deficits were exaggerated by insulin deficiency in TAPP mice but 12 weeks of insulin resistance did not affect memory performances in either WT or TAPP mice. Levels of phosphorylated tau were increased in the brain of WT‐STZ and TAPP‐STZ mice but not in the brain of WT or TAPP mice on HFD. In the TAPP‐STZ mice, treatment with Ex4 initiated after established cognitive deficits ameliorated learning, but not memory, impairments. This was accompanied by the reduction of amyloid β and phosphorylated tau expression. Theses studies support the role of Ex4 in AD, independently from its actions on diabetes.
Some aspects of the biology of Todarodes sagittatus (Cephalopoda: Ommastrephidae) from the Balearic Sea (Western Mediterranean)*

A total of 346 individuals (152 males and 194 females) of Todarodes sagittatus caught by commercial trawlers working down to 800 m in the Balearic Sea (Western Mediterranean) was studied. Data are presented on size frequency distributions, length-weight relationships, and relationships between mantle length and various measurements of the beak. Some aspects of the reproductive biology (maturity and gonad development) were also determined. Reproductive period could be situated in the second half of the year, since the number of mature individuals was maximum from July to October for males and from September to December for females. The sex ratio was found to be significantly different from 1:1 only outside this second semester. No individual appeared in hauls performed below 100 m depth and the greatest frequency of appearance was between depths of 400 and 800 m. All mature females were caught deeper than 500 m, indicating that spawning could take place from this depth. The mean mantle length increased with depth, suggesting a possible ontogenic migration.
Range limits and geographic patterns of abundance of the rocky intertidal owl limpet, Lottia gigantea

Aim We evaluate the stability of the range limits of the rocky intertidal limpet, Lottia gigantea, over the last c. 140 years, test the validity of the abundant centre hypothesis, and test indirectly the roles played by recruitment limitation and habitat availability in controlling the range limits. Because this species is size‐selectively harvested, our results also allow us to assess conservation implications.
Transcriptome-wide stability analysis uncovers LARP4-mediated NFκB1 mRNA stabilization during T cell activation

Abstract T cell activation is a well-established model for studying cellular responses to exogenous stimulation. Motivated by our previous finding that intron retention (IR) could lead to transcript instability, in this study, we performed BruChase-Seq to experimentally monitor the expression dynamics of nascent transcripts in resting and activated CD4+ T cells. Computational modeling was then applied to quantify the stability of spliced and intron-retained transcripts on a genome-wide scale. Beyond substantiating that intron-retained transcripts were considerably less stable than spliced transcripts, we found a global stabilization of spliced mRNAs upon T cell activation, although the stability of intron-retained transcripts remained relatively constant. In addition, we identified that La-related protein 4 (LARP4), an RNA-binding protein (RBP) known to enhance mRNA stability, was involved in T cell activation-dependent mRNA stabilization. Knocking out Larp4 in mice destabilized Nfκb1 mRNAs and reduced secretion of interleukin-2 (IL2) and interferon-gamma (IFNγ), two factors critical for T cell proliferation and function. We propose that coordination between splicing regulation and mRNA stability may provide a novel paradigm to control spatiotemporal gene expression during T cell activation.
Immunodeficient mice are better for modeling the transfusion of human blood components than wild-type mice

Animal models are vital to the study of transfusion and development of new blood products. Post-transfusion recovery of human blood components can be studied in mice, however, there is a need to identify strains that can best tolerate xenogeneic transfusions, as well as to optimize such protocols. Specifically, the importance of using immunodeficient mice, such as NOD.Cg-Prkdcscid Il2rgtm1Wjl/SzJ (NSG) mice, to study human transfusion has been questioned. In this study, strains of wild-type and NSG mice were compared as hosts for human transfusions with outcomes quantified by flow cytometric analyses of CD235a+ erythrocytes, CD45+ leukocytes, and CD41+CD42b+ platelets. Complete blood counts were evaluated as well as serum cytokines by multiplexing methods. Circulating human blood cells were maintained better in NSG than in wild-type mice. Lethargy and hemoglobinuria were observed in the first hours in wild-type mice along with increased pro-inflammatory cytokines/chemokines such as monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, tumor necrosis factor α, keratinocyte-derived chemokine (KC or CXCL1), and interleukin-6, whereas NSG mice were less severely affected. Whole blood transfusion resulted in rapid sequestration and then release of human cells back into the circulation within several hours. This rebound effect diminished when only erythrocytes were transfused. Nonetheless, human erythrocytes were found in excess of mouse erythrocytes in the liver and lungs and had a shorter half-life in circulation. Variables affecting the outcomes of transfused erythrocytes were cell dose and mouse weight; recipient sex did not affect outcomes. The sensitivity and utility of this xenogeneic model were shown by measuring the effects of erythrocyte damage due to exposure to the oxidizer diamide on post-transfusion recovery. Overall, immunodeficient mice are superior models for xenotransfusion as they maintain improved post-transfusion recovery with negligible immune-associated side effects.
Misidentification in fishery: the case of deep-sea pandalid shrimp Plesionika spinipes (Spence Bate, 1888) from Indian waters

Plesionika Spence Bate, 1888 is the most species diverse genus in the family Pandalidae and has wide geographic distribution all over the world. Plesionika spinipes Spence Bate, 1888 is one of the most important shrimps in the commercial deep-sea shrimp trawl fleet in the southern coast of India. The present study confirms that all previous records of P. spinipes in Indian fishery correspond to the closely similar species P. quasigrandis Chace, 1985. A table of morphological characters separating both species is provided.
Traumatic Brain Injury Preserves Firing Rates But Disrupts Laminar Oscillatory Coupling and Neuronal Entrainment in Hippocampal CA1

Abstract While hippocampal-dependent learning and memory are particularly vulnerable to traumatic brain injury (TBI), the functional status of individual hippocampal neurons and their interactions with oscillations are unknown following injury. Using the most common rodent TBI model and laminar recordings in CA1, we found a significant reduction in oscillatory input into the radiatum layer of CA1 after TBI. Surprisingly, CA1 neurons maintained normal firing rates despite attenuated input, but did not maintain appropriate synchronization with this oscillatory input or with local high-frequency oscillations. Normal synchronization between these coordinating oscillations was also impaired. Simultaneous recordings of medial septal neurons known to participate in theta oscillations revealed increased GABAergic/glutamatergic firing rates postinjury under anesthesia, potentially because of a loss of modulating feedback from the hippocampus. These results suggest that TBI leads to a profound disruption of connectivity and oscillatory interactions, potentially disrupting the timing of CA1 neuronal ensembles that underlie aspects of learning and memory.