Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Impact of Small Time Delays on the Onset of Oscillations and Synchrony in Brain Networks

The human brain constitutes one of the most advanced networks produced by nature, consisting of billions of neurons communicating with each other. However, this communication is not in real-time, with different communication or time-delays occurring between neurons in different brain areas. Here, we investigate the impacts of these delays by modeling large interacting neural circuits as neural-field systems which model the bulk activity of populations of neurons. By using a Master Stability Function analysis combined with numerical simulations, we find that delays (1) may actually stabilize brain dynamics by temporarily preventing the onset to oscillatory and pathologically synchronized dynamics and (2) may enhance or diminish synchronization depending on the underlying eigenvalue spectrum of the connectivity matrix. Real eigenvalues with large magnitudes result in increased synchronizability while complex eigenvalues with large magnitudes and positive real parts yield a decrease in synchronizability in the delay vs. instantaneously coupled case. This result applies to networks with fixed, constant delays, and was robust to networks with heterogeneous delays. In the case of real brain networks, where the eigenvalues are predominantly real, owing to the nearly symmetric nature of these weight matrices, biologically plausible, small delays, are likely to increase synchronization, rather than decreasing it.
Heart Rate Variability Changes in Patients With Major Depressive Disorder: Related to Confounding Factors, Not to Symptom Severity?

Background The aim of this study was to assess the electrophysiological and other influencing factors correlating with symptom severity in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) under three different conditions: baseline, stress exposure, and relaxation following stress exposure. Methods Symptom severity was assessed using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II) in 89 inpatients (37 women; mean age 51 years) with MDD. Resting heart rate (RHR), heart rate variability (HRV), respiration rate (RR), skin conductance (SC), and skin temperature (ST) were recorded at baseline for 300 s, under stress exposure for 60 s, and under self-induced relaxation for 300 s. Age, nicotine consumption, body mass index, and blood pressure were evaluated as influencing factors. Results The mean BDI-II mean score was 29.7 points. Disease severity correlated positively with SC elevation under stress exposure and with a lower RR in the relaxed state, but no association was found between HRV and symptom severity. Age and higher blood pressure were both associated with lower HRV and higher RHR. Conclusion The results indicate that, in patients with MDD, changes in the autonomic nervous system (ANS) are complex; and the assessment of ANS reactivity to stressors is useful. Elevated blood pressure might be underdiagnosed, although it is already relevant in patients with MDD in their early 50s.
Cortical Glutamate and GABA Changes During Early Abstinence in Alcohol Dependence and Their Associations With Benzodiazepine Medication

In this report, we present cross-sectional and longitudinal findings from single-voxel MEGA-PRESS MRS of GABA as well as Glu, and Glu + glutamine (Glx) concentrations in the ACC of treatment-seeking alcohol-dependent patients (ADPs) during detoxification (first 2 weeks of abstinence). The focus of this study was to examine whether the amount of benzodiazepine administered to treat withdrawal symptoms was associated with longitudinal changes in Glu, Glx, and GABA. The tNAA levels served as an internal quality reference; in agreement with the vast majority of previous reports, these levels were initially decreased and normalized during the course of abstinence in ADPs. Our results on Glu and Glx support hyperglutamatergic functioning during alcohol withdrawal, by showing higher ACC Glu and Glx levels on the first day of detoxification in ADPs. Withdrawal severity is reflected in cumulative benzodiazepine requirements throughout the withdrawal period. The importance of withdrawal severity for the study of GABA and Glu changes in early abstinence is emphasized by the benzodiazepine-dependent Glu, Glx, and GABA changes observed during the course of abstinence.
Geometric Features of the Pial Arteriolar Networks in Spontaneous Hypertensive Rats: A Crucial Aspect Underlying the Blood Flow Regulation

Background Several studies indicate that hypertension causes major changes in the structure of the vessel wall by affecting the regulation of blood supply to the tissues. Recently, it has been observed that capillary blood flow is also considerably influenced by the structural arrangement of the microvascular networks that undergo rarefaction (reduction of the perfused vessel number). Therefore, this study aimed to assess the geometric arrangements of the pial arteriolar networks and the arteriolar rhythmic diameter changes in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs). Methods Fluorescence microscopy was utilized to observe in vivo the pial microcirculation through a closed cranial window. Pial arterioles were classified according to Strahler’s method. The arteriolar rhythmic diameter changes were evaluated by a generalization short-time Fourier transform. Result Young SHRs showed four orders of vessels while the adult ones only three orders. The diameter, length, and branching number obeyed Horton’s law; therefore, the vessels were distributed in a fractal manner. Larger arterioles showed more asymmetrical branches than did the smaller ones in young SHRs, while in adult SHRs smaller vessels presented asymmetrical branchings. In adult SHRs, there was a significant reduction in the cross-sectional area compared with the young SHRs: this implies an increase in peripheral resistance. Young and adult age-matched normotensive rats did not show significant alterations in the geometric arteriolar arrangement with advancing age, both had four orders of arteriolar vessels, and the peripheral resistance did not change significantly. Conversely, the frequency components evaluated in arteriolar rhythmic diameter changes of young and adult SHRs showed significant differences because of a reduction in the frequency components related to endothelial activity detected in adult SHRs. Conclusion In conclusion, hypertension progressively causes changes in the microarchitecture of the arteriolar networks with a smaller number of vessels and consequent reduced conductivity, characteristic of rarefaction. This was accompanied by a reduction in the formation and release of independent and dependent – endothelial nitric oxide components regulating arterial vasomotion.
Factors Underlying Individual Differences in Speech-Recognition Threshold (SRT) in Noise Among Older Adults

Many older adults have difficulty understanding speech in noisy backgrounds. In this study, we examined peripheral auditory, higher-level auditory, and cognitive factors that may contribute to such difficulties. A convenience sample of 137 volunteer older adults, 90 women, and 47 men, ranging in age from 47 to 94 years (M = 69.2 and SD = 10.1 years) completed a large battery of tests. Auditory tests included measures of pure-tone threshold, clinical and psychophysical, as well as two measures of gap-detection threshold and four measures of temporal-order identification. The latter included two monaural and two dichotic listening conditions. In addition, cognition was assessed using the complete Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-3rd Edition (WAIS-III). Two monaural measures of speech-recognition threshold (SRT) in noise, the QuickSIN, and the WIN, were obtained from each ear at relatively high presentation levels of 93 or 103 dB SPL to minimize audibility concerns. Group data, both aggregate and by age decade, were evaluated initially to allow comparison to data in the literature. Next, following the application of principal-components factor analysis for data reduction, individual differences in speech-recognition-in-noise performance were examined using multiple-linear-regression analyses. Excellent fits were obtained, accounting for 60–77% of the total variance, with most accounted for by the audibility of the speech and noise stimuli and the severity of hearing loss with the balance primarily associated with cognitive function.
Hands Down: Cognate Effects Persist During Written Word Production

Words that share form and meaning across two or more languages (i.e., cognates) are generally processed faster than control words (non-cognates) by bilinguals speaking these languages. This so-called cognate effect is considered to be a demonstration of language non-selectivity during bilingual lexical access. Still, research up till now has focused mainly on visual and auditory comprehension. For production, research is almost exclusively limited to speech, leaving written production out of the equation. Hence, the goal of the current study was to examine whether bilinguals activate representations from both languages during typewriting. Dutch-English bilinguals completed second-language written sentences with names of displayed pictures. Low-constraint sentences yielded a cognate facilitation effect, whereas high-constraint sentences did not. These findings suggest that co-activation of similar words across languages also occurs during written production, just as in reading and speaking. Also, the interaction effect with sentence constraint shows that grammatical and semantic sentence restrictions may overrule interlingual facilitation effects.
I Feel Like I Am Flying and Full of Life: Contemporary Dance for Parkinson’s Patients

Parkinson’s is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by motor and non-motor symptoms which are strongly associated with patients’ quality of life, affecting social skills and support. It strikes not only the motor abilities but may harm cognitive and emotional functioning. For the past 15 years, contemporary dance has been employed as an intervention to help people diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease cope physically and mentally by way of motor, vestibular, and sensory stimulation as well as social interaction. In this study we aimed to examine psychological flexibility, creative self-efficacy and quality of life of Parkinson’s patients participating in contemporary dance sessions. To obtain this goal we conducted a cross-sectional comparative study of 50 Parkinson’s patients aged 50–87 years, half of which had been participating for at least 3 months once a week, in contemporary dance classes, and the matched controls participated in a verbal support group. Study participants completed questionnaires after participating in a dance class (Intervention) or in a support group (control). Participants in the intervention group were also asked to answer three open-ended questions that examined the experience of participating in contemporary dance classes. We found that psychological flexibility and quality of life were significantly higher in the dance class participants. Participants reported positive changes that occur in their overall feeling and quality of life following their participation in dance classes. Since PD patients’ experiences are deeply embedded in the body, it is significant to explore the use of movement in treatment. The importance of the study is in its potential to highlight the relationship between psychological flexibility and quality of life and to increase awareness of clinicians treating Parkinson’s patients to the importance of incorporating dance as an inherent part of a multidisciplinary team effort.
Reducing Auditory Nerve Excitability by Acute Antagonism of Ca2+-Permeable AMPA Receptors

Hearing depends on glutamatergic synaptic transmission mediated by α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptors (AMPARs). AMPARs are tetramers, where inclusion of the GluA2 subunit reduces overall channel conductance and Ca2+ permeability. Cochlear afferent synapses between inner hair cells (IHCs) and auditory nerve fibers (ANFs) contain the AMPAR subunits GluA2, 3, and 4. However, the tetrameric complement of cochlear AMPAR subunits is not known. It was recently shown in mice that chronic intracochlear delivery of IEM-1460, an antagonist selective for GluA2-lacking AMPARs [also known as Ca2+-permeable AMPARs (CP-AMPARs)], before, during, and after acoustic overexposure prevented both the trauma to ANF synapses and the ensuing reduction of cochlear nerve activity in response to sound. Surprisingly, baseline measurements of cochlear function before exposure were unaffected by chronic intracochlear delivery of IEM-1460. This suggested that cochlear afferent synapses contain GluA2-lacking CP-AMPARs alongside GluA2-containing Ca2+-impermeable AMPA receptors (CI-AMPARs), and that the former can be antagonized for protection while the latter remain conductive. Here, we investigated hearing function in the guinea pig during acute local or systemic delivery of CP-AMPAR antagonists. Acute intracochlear delivery of IEM-1460 or systemic delivery of IEM-1460 or IEM-1925 reduced the amplitude of the ANF compound action potential (CAP) significantly, for all tone levels and frequencies, by > 50% without affecting CAP thresholds or distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAE). Following systemic dosing, IEM-1460 levels in cochlear perilymph were ~ 30% of blood levels, on average, consistent with pharmacokinetic properties predicting permeation of the compounds into the brain and ear. Both compounds were metabolically stable with half-lives >5 h in vitro, and elimination half-lives in vivo of 118 min (IEM-1460) and 68 min (IEM-1925). Heart rate monitoring and off-target binding assays suggest an enhanced safety profile for IEM-1925 over IEM-1460. Compound potency on CAP reduction (IC50 ~ 73 μM IEM-1460) was consistent with a mixture of GluA2-lacking and GluA2-containing AMPARs. These data strongly imply that cochlear afferent synapses of the guinea pig contain GluA2-lacking CP-AMPARs. We propose these CP-AMPARs may be acutely antagonized with systemic dosing, to protect from glutamate excitotoxicity, while transmission at GluA2-containing AMPARs persists to mediate hearing during the protection.
Liver-Metastasis-Related Genes are Potential Biomarkers for Predicting the Clinical Outcomes of Patients with Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma

It is widely acknowledged that metastasis determines the prognosis of pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAAD), and the liver is the most primary distant metastatic location of PAAD. It is worth exploring the value of liver-metastasis-related genetic prognostic signature (LM-PS) in predicting the clinical outcomes of PAAD patients post R0 resection. We collected 65 tumors and 165 normal pancreatic data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and the Genotype-Tissue Expression project (GTEx), respectively. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between primary tumor and normal pancreatic samples were intersected with DEGs between primary tumor samples with liver metastasis and those without new tumor events. The intersected 45 genes were input into univariate Cox regression analysis to identify the prognostic genes. Thirty-three prognostic liver-metastasis-related genes were identified and included in least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) analysis to develop a seven-gene LM-PS, which included six risk genes (ANO1, FAM83A, GPR87, ITGB6, KLK10, and SERPINE1) and one protective gene (SMIM32). The PAAD patients were grouped into low- and high-risk groups based on the median value of risk scores. The LM-PS harbored an independent predictive ability to distinguish patients with a high-risk of death and liver metastasis after R0 resection. Moreover, a robust prognostic nomogram based on LM-PS, the number of positive lymph nodes, and histologic grade were established to predict the overall survival of PAAD patients. Besides, a transcription factor‐microRNA coregulatory network was constructed for the seven LM-PS genes, and the immune infiltration and genomic alterations were systematically explored in the TGCA-PAAD cohort.
The Mediating Role of Organizational Commitment on the Relationship Between Emotional Labor and Work Engagement of Teachers

This study aims to investigate the mediating role of teachers’ organizational commitment (OC) on the relationship between their emotional labor (EL) and work engagement (WE). The study employed a cross-sectional design. The sample of the study consisted of the teachers working in Sakarya province of Turkey. They participated in the study voluntarily and responded scale items online. The findings showed that teachers’ perceptions of EL, OC and WE is relatively high. Also, there are statistically significant and positive correlations among variables. On the other hand, the findings confirmed the hypotheses. Teachers’ EL predicts their OC and WE. Additionally, OC predicts WE and plays a mediating role on the relationship between EL and WE. Based on the findings some suggestions were made.
Comparative Whole Genome Sequence Analysis and Biological Features of Clostridioides difficile Sequence Type 2‡

Clostridioides difficile sequence type 2 (ST2) has been increasingly recognized as one of the major genotypes in China, while the genomic characteristics and biological phenotypes of Chinese ST2 strains remain to be determined. We used whole-genome sequencing and phylogenetic analysis to investigate the genomic features of 182 ST2 strains, isolated between 2011 and 2017. PCR ribotyping (RT) was performed, and antibiotic resistance, toxin concentration, and sporulation capacity were measured. The core genome Maximum-likelihood phylogenetic analysis showed that ST2 strains were distinctly segregated into two genetically diverse lineages [L1 (67.0% from Northern America) and L2], while L2 further divided into two sub-lineages, SL2a and SL2b (73.5% from China). The 36 virulence-related genes were widely distributed in ST2 genomes, but in which only 11 antibiotic resistance-associated genes were dispersedly found. Among the 25 SL2b sequenced isolates, RT014 (40.0%, n = 10) and RT020 (28.0%, n = 7) were two main genotypes with no significant difference on antibiotic resistance (χ2 = 0.024–2.667, P > 0.05). A non-synonymous amino acid substitution was found in tcdB (Y1975D) which was specific to SL2b. Although there was no significant difference in sporulation capacity between the two lineages, the average toxin B concentration (5.11 ± 3.20 ng/μL) in SL2b was significantly lower in comparison to those in L1 (10.49 ± 15.82 ng/μL) and SL2a (13.92 ± 2.39 ng/μL) (χ2 = 12.30, P < 0.05). This study described the genomic characteristics of C. difficile ST2, with many virulence loci and few antibiotic resistance elements. The Chinese ST2 strains with the mutation in codon 1975 of the tcdB gene clustering in SL2b circulating in China express low toxin B, which may be associated with mild or moderate C. difficile infection.
Probiotic and Antifungal Attributes of Levilactobacillus brevis MYSN105, Isolated From an Indian Traditional Fermented Food Pozha

The use of probiotics and antifungal capabilities of the lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolated from different niches is a strategy to prepare functional cultures and biopreservatives for food/feed industries. In the present study, LAB strains isolated from an Indian traditional fermented food, Pozha, were evaluated for their probiotic properties and biocontrol potential. A total of 20 LAB isolates were selected from Pozha samples collected aseptically and screened for their antagonistic activity against Fusarium verticillioides. Among the bioactive isolates, Lacticaseibacillus brevis MYSN105 showed the highest antifungal activity in vitro, causing some morphological alterations such as damaged mycelia and deformed conidia. Cell-free supernatant (CFS) from L. brevis MYSN105 at 16% concentration effectively reduced the mycelial biomass to 0.369 g compared to 1.938 g in control. Likewise, the conidial germination was inhibited to 20.12%, and the seed treatment using CFS induced a reduction of spore count to 4.1 × 106 spores/ml compared to 1.1 × 109 spores/ml for untreated seeds. The internal transcribed spacer (ITS) copy number of F. verticillioides decreased to 5.73 × 107 and 9.026 × 107 by L. brevis MYSN105 and CFS treatment, respectively, compared to 8.94 × 1010 in control. The L. brevis MYSN105 showed high tolerance to in vitro gastrointestinal conditions and exhibited high adhesive abilities to intestinal epithelial cell lines. The comparative genome analysis demonstrated specific secondary metabolite region coding for bacteriocin and T3PKS (type III polyketide synthase) possibly related to survival and antimicrobial activity in the gut environment. Our results suggest that L. brevis MYSN105 has promising probiotic features and could be potentially used for developing biological control formulations to minimize F. verticillioides contamination and improve food safety measures.
Ganglioside Alters Phospholipase Trafficking, Inhibits NF-κB Assembly, and Protects Tight Junction Integrity

Background and Aims: Dietary gangliosides are present in human milk and consumed in low amounts from organ meats. Clinical and animal studies indicate that dietary gangliosides attenuate signaling processes that are a hallmark of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Gangliosides decrease pro-inflammatory markers, improve intestinal permeability, and reduce symptoms characteristic in patients with IBD. The objective of this study was to examine mechanisms by which dietary gangliosides exert beneficial effects on intestinal health. Methods: Studies were conducted in vitro using CaCo-2 intestinal epithelial cells. Gangliosides were extracted from milk powder and incubated with differentiated CaCo-2 cells after exposure to pro-inflammatory stimuli. Gut barrier integrity was assessed by electron microscopy, epithelial barrier function was examined by measuring transepithelial electric resistance, and content of HBD-2, IL-23, NF-κB, and sPLA2 was assessed by ELISA. Results: Ganglioside attenuated the decrease in integrity of tight junctions induced by pro-inflammatory stimuli and improved epithelial barrier function (P < 0.05). Ganglioside decreased the basolateral secretion of sPLA2 (P ≤ 0.05), lowered HBD-2 and IL-23 levels (P ≤ 0.05), and inhibited NF-κB activation (P ≤ 0.05). Conclusions: In summary, the present study indicates that ganglioside GD3 improves intestinal integrity by altering sPLA2 trafficking, and the production of pro-inflammatory mediators is mitigated by decreasing assembly of the NF-κB complex. Dietary gangliosides may have promising potential beneficial effects in IBD as decreased inflammatory signaling, improved intestinal integrity, and maintenance of epithelial barrier function have been demonstrated in vitro.