Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Neural Development of Speech Sensorimotor Learning

The development of the human brain continues through to early adulthood. It has been suggested that cortical plasticity during this protracted period of development shapes circuits in associative transmodal regions of the brain. Here we considered how cortical plasticity during development might contribute to the coordinated brain activity required for speech motor learning. Specifically, we examined patterns of brain functional connectivity (FC), whose strength covaried with the capacity for speech audio-motor adaptation in children ages 5–12 and in young adults of both sexes. Children and adults showed distinct patterns of the encoding of learning in the brain. Adult performance was associated with connectivity in transmodal regions that integrate auditory and somatosensory information, whereas children rely on basic somatosensory and motor circuits. A progressive reliance on transmodal regions is consistent with human cortical development and suggests that human speech motor adaptation abilities are built on cortical remodeling, which is observable in late childhood and is stabilized in adults. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT A protracted period of neuro plasticity during human development is associated with extensive reorganization of associative cortex. We examined how the relationship between FC and speech motor learning capacity are reconfigured in conjunction with this cortical reorganization. Young adults and children aged 5–12 years showed distinctly different patterns. Mature brain networks related to learning included associative cortex, which integrates auditory and somatosensory feedback in speech, whereas the immature networks in children included motor regions of the brain. These patterns are consistent with the cortical reorganization that is initiated in late childhood. The result provides insights into the human biology of speech as well as to the mature neural mechanisms for multisensory integration in motor learning.
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the diet, training habits and fitness of Masters cyclists

Background: The number of Masters-level athletes (≥ 35 years of age) taking part in cycling has increased in the past years which may have beneficial effects on their health. The restrictions brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic has the potential to negatively impact the diet, training and fitness of these individuals due to restrictions in place to slow the spread of the virus. Aim: To investigate how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the diet, training and fitness of Masters-level cyclists. Methods: 32 Masters cyclists (12 males, 20 females; mean age 47 ± 10 years) completed two incremental exercise tests one month apart during the pandemic to assess sport-specific fitness. Participants also completed online questionnaires to report their sedentary behavior and dietary intake before and during the pandemic, and their training volume and intensity for a specified week in February (before the pandemic) and each of March, April and May (during the pandemic). Results: No differences were seen in fitness (p = 0.6), training volume (p = 0.24) or intensity (p = 0.79) and sedentary behavior (p = 0.14) during the pandemic. Energy intake was unchanged (p = 1.0) during the pandemic, but participants consumed lower amounts of key nutrients such as fiber, vitamin A, omega-3 fatty acids and potassium (p < 0.05) while consuming more alcohol (p = 0.008) and vitamin C (p = 0.03). Conclusions: Our data shows that the COVID-19 pandemic has undesirable effects on nutrient and alcohol intake of Masters cyclists without impacting their training regimes, which may have adverse effects on their overall health and fitness in the long term.
Impact of Low-Dose Fluconazole on Tacrolimus Dosing in Renal Transplant

Background: The interaction between azole antifungal therapy and immunosuppressant tacrolimus (TAC) is a barrier to use. Objective: This study quantified the drug interaction between low-dose fluconazole (LDF) and TAC to determine the appropriate TAC dose adjustment when used concurrently in renal transplant recipients. Methods: We conducted a single-center retrospective chart review of renal transplant patients >18 years who received LDF or nystatin (NYS), and TAC. The primary outcome was the difference in tacrolimus total daily dose (TAC TDD) for LDF versus NYS groups. Secondary outcomes included days with supratherapeutic, therapeutic and subtherapeutic tacrolimus levels, time to therapeutic level, incidence of adverse drug reactions and graft rejection. Results: We evaluated 94 patients and included 81. Low-dose fluconazole received a greater TAC TDD prior to post-operative day (POD) 10 (10.5 ± 4.7 mg vs. 7.1 ± 4.5 mg, p < 0.001), but a decreased TAC TDD POD 10 - 30 (8.6 ± 2.2 mg vs. 9.8 ± 0.8 mg, p < 0.001) and following LDF discontinuation (6.9 ± 0.1 mg vs. 9.0 ± 0.4 mg, p < 0.001). Low-dose fluconazole had more patient-days with supratherapeutic (17.9 ± 7.0 vs. 13.9 ± 8.5; p = 0.02) but fewer with subtherapeutic (6.7 ± 5.7 vs. 12.9 ± 7.2; p < 0.01) TAC levels. There was no difference in patient-days with therapeutic TAC levels (15.9 ± 5.8 vs. 14.4 ± 6.6, p = 0.28), meanwhile LDF required less patient-days to therapeutic TAC level (7.1 ± 2.7 vs. 11.5 ± 7.7; p < 0.01). There was no difference in adverse drug reactions between groups and no incidence of graft rejection. Conclusion: A 20% reduction in TAC TDD is warranted in renal transplant patients when used concomitantly with LDF to achieve therapeutic levels.
Masculinity in the public image of physics and mathematics: a new model comparing Japan and England

Women are a minority in science, technology, engineering and mathematics academic careers. In particular, few women in Japan choose to study physics and mathematics. In this study, we investigated the factors contributing to the masculine image of physics and mathematics based on the framework of our expanded model. We conducted online questionnaire surveys in Japan and England, and found that physics and mathematics occupations, and mathematical stereotypes were both related to a masculine image. Only in Japan were social factors, such as a person’s attitude to intellectual women, related to viewing mathematics as ‘masculine’. However, the experience of being told or having heard that the choice of a particular course of studies would make someone less attractive to the opposite sex was evident only in England. This finding suggests that social factors affect the masculine image of physics and mathematics, and that this could vary depending on the country.
Efficacy of Analytical Technologies in Metabolomics Studies of the Gastrointestinal Cancers

Abstract According to the reports of the World Health Organization and the International Agency for Research on Cancer, cancer is the second leading cause of human death worldwide. However, early-stage detection of cancers can efficiently enhance the chance of therapy and saving lives. Metabolomics strategies apply a variety of approaches to discover new potential diagnoses, prognoses, and/or therapeutic biomarkers of various diseases. Metabolomics aims to identify and measure different low-molecular-weight biomolecules in physiological environments. In these studies, special metabolites are extracted from biological samples and identified using analytical techniques. Afterward, using data processing programs discovering significantly associated biomarkers is pursued. In the present review, we aimed to discuss recently reported analytical approaches on the metabolomics studies of gastrointestinal cancers including gastric, colorectal, and esophageal cancers. The gas- and liquid-chromatography with different detectors have been shown that are the main analytical techniques and for metabolites quantification, nuclear magnetic resonance has been utilized as a master method.
Exploring the Reasons for Low Usage and Informing Strategies to Improve Use of a Nonprofit Grocery Store in Baltimore City

ABSTRACT Introducing new grocery stores into low-income communities has been a focus of policy efforts to improve the food environment. Yet, evidence of the impact of this strategy on diet and health outcomes is inconsistent. In Baltimore, a not-for-profit grocery store was opened by the Salvation Army in March 2018 with the goal of improving healthy food access. Unfortunately, the store has so far failed to attract sufficient customers. This study explored the reasons for low usage from the perspective of community members and staff members. A qualitative, formative research study was conducted at the store, which included semi-structured interviews (n = 21), direct observations (n = 8), and sociodemographic surveys (n = 152). Reasons for low store usage included high prices, confusion regarding the nature of the store, and lack of product variety. Reducing prices, increasing community engagement, and using promotional materials were all recommended strategies to increase usage. The Salvation Army is interested in potentially opening other nonprofit grocery stores. The results of this study will be used to help the Salvation Army refine their nonprofit grocery store model and in their future planning.
Human surrogate models of central sensitization: A critical review and practical guide

As in other fields of medicine, development of new medications for management of neuropathic pain has been difficult since preclinical rodent models do not necessarily translate to the clinics. Aside from ongoing pain with burning or shock‐like qualities, neuropathic pain is often characterized by pain hypersensitivity (hyperalgesia and allodynia), most often towards mechanical stimuli, reflecting sensitization of neural transmission.
Mass spectrometry‐based tear proteomics for noninvasive biomarker discovery

Abstract The lacrimal film has attracted increasing interest in the last decades as a potential source of biomarkers of physiopathological states, due to its accessibility, moderate complexity, and responsiveness to ocular and systemic diseases. High‐performance liquid chromatography‐mass spectrometry (LC‐MS) has led to effective approaches to tear proteomics, despite the intrinsic limitations in sample amounts. This review focuses on the recent progress in strategy and technology, with an emphasis on the potential for personalized medicine. After an introduction on lacrimal‐film composition, examples of applications to biomarker discovery are discussed, comparing approaches based on pooled‐sample and single‐tear analysis. Then, the most critical steps of the experimental pipeline, that is, tear collection, sample fractionation, and LC‐MS implementation, are discussed with reference to proteome‐coverage optimization. Advantages and challenges of the alternative procedures are highlighted. Despite the still limited number of studies, tear quantitative proteomics, including single‐tear investigation, could offer unique contributions to the identification of low‐invasiveness, sustained‐accessibility biomarkers, and to the development of personalized approaches to therapy and diagnosis.
Implications of preexisting asthma on COVID-19 pathogenesis

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic spreading at an alarming rate has taken a heavy toll on the public healthcare systems and economies worldwide. An abnormal and overactivated inflammatory response is occasionally elicited by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) and this hyperinflammation is associated with worse prognosis of COVID-19. Theoretically, one would expect patients with asthma to be at a greater risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection considering their increased susceptibility to common respiratory virus-associated exacerbations. Surprisingly, current data do not consistently suggest an increased prevalence of asthma among patients with COVID-19. Considering the high global prevalence of asthma, the characteristics of the disease and/or their conventional therapy might play a role in their potential defense against COVID-19. This may be attributed to the T helper type 2 immune response predominantly seen in patients with asthma. Likewise, asthma therapeutics, including corticosteroids and biologics, may in fact benefit the patients with asthma by alleviating the development of hyperinflammation. On the other hand, elevated IL-17 levels are characteristically seen in a subset of asthma patients with severe disease as well as in patients with COVID-19. Targeting the IL-17 pathway as a treatment strategy could plausibly alleviate acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in patients with COVID-19 and asthma demonstrating a predominant T helper type 17 response. A clinical trial including a drug targeting this pathway may thus, constitute a logical addition to the global pursuit for effective therapeutics against COVID-19. The complex interplay between the asthma endotypes and COVID-19 is not very well understood and will be discussed in this mini-review.
Α Virtual Reality App for Physical and Cognitive Training of Older People With Mild Cognitive Impairment: Mixed Methods Feasibility Study

Background Therapeutic virtual reality (VR) has emerged as an effective treatment modality for cognitive and physical training in people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). However, to replace existing nonpharmaceutical treatment training protocols, VR platforms need significant improvement if they are to appeal to older people with symptoms of cognitive decline and meet their specific needs. Objective This study aims to design and test the acceptability, usability, and tolerability of an immersive VR platform that allows older people with MCI symptoms to simultaneously practice physical and cognitive skills on a dual task. Methods On the basis of interviews with 20 older people with MCI symptoms (15 females; mean age 76.25, SD 5.03 years) and inputs from their health care providers (formative study VR1), an interdisciplinary group of experts developed a VR system called VRADA (VR Exercise App for Dementia and Alzheimer’s Patients). Using an identical training protocol, the VRADA system was first tested with a group of 30 university students (16 females; mean age 20.86, SD 1.17 years) and then with 27 older people (19 females; mean age 73.22, SD 9.26 years) who had been diagnosed with MCI (feasibility studies VR2a and VR2b). Those in the latter group attended two Hellenic Association Day Care Centers for Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders. Participants in both groups were asked to perform a dual task training protocol that combined physical and cognitive exercises in two different training conditions. In condition A, participants performed a cycling task in a lab environment while being asked by the researcher to perform oral math calculations (single-digit additions and subtractions). In condition B, participants performed a cycling task in the virtual environment while performing calculations that appeared within the VR app. Participants in both groups were assessed in the same way; this included questionnaires and semistructured interviews immediately after the experiment to capture perceptions of acceptability, usability, and tolerability, and to determine which of the two training conditions each participant preferred. Results Participants in both groups showed a significant preference for the VR condition (students: mean 0.66, SD 0.41, t29=8.74, P<.001; patients with MCI: mean 0.72, SD 0.51, t26=7.36, P<.001), as well as high acceptance scores for intended future use, attitude toward VR training, and enjoyment. System usability scale scores (82.66 for the students and 77.96 for the older group) were well above the acceptability threshold (75/100). The perceived adverse effects were minimal, indicating a satisfactory tolerability. Conclusions The findings suggest that VRADA is an acceptable, usable, and tolerable system for physical and cognitive training of older people with MCI and university students. Randomized controlled trial studies are needed to assess the efﬁcacy of VRADA as a tool to promote physical and cognitive health in patients with MCI.
Effects of Alcohol Sensitivity on Alcohol-Induced Blackouts and Passing Out: An Examination of the Alcohol Sensitivity Questionnaire among Underage Drinkers.

BACKGROUND The role of alcohol sensitivity in the experience of blackout and passing out has not been well established. Here, we examined the relation between individual differences in alcohol sensitivity (i.e., numbers of drinks required to experience various effects of alcohol) and reports of blacking out and passing out in the past year. METHODS Participants (925 healthy, underage college student drinkers) completed the Alcohol Sensitivity Questionnaire (ASQ) and reported on their past year blacking out and passing out experiences. RESULTS The fit of the ASQ's two-factor structure was fair (CFI = 0.90, RMSEA = 0.09) in this sample of underage drinkers. In unadjusted models, higher ASQ scores (i.e., requiring more drinks to experience effects, indicating lower alcohol sensitivity) were associated with experiencing more blackouts (IRR = 1.68 [1.31 - 2.15]) and passing out (IRR = 2.25 [1.59 - 3.18]) in the past year. After controlling for typical consumption, however, higher ASQ scores were associated with fewer past year blackouts (IRR = 0.76 [0.60 - 0.98]). Total ASQ scores moderated the relationship between typical alcohol consumption and blackout occurrence (interaction IRR = 0.96 [0.93 - 0.98]), but not passing out occurrence (interaction IRR = 0.95 [0.89 - 1.01]), such that the quantity of alcohol consumed was more strongly associated with blackout occurrence among higher-sensitivity compared to lower-sensitivity drinkers. CONCLUSIONS These findings are consistent with prior work suggesting that low sensitivity may act as a paradoxical risk factor for certain heavy drinking effects, contributing to higher levels of alcohol consumption and more frequent negative consequences while simultaneously conferring protection (relative to high-sensitivity peers) at a given level of alcohol exposure.
Consumption of a Variety of Vegetables to Meet Dietary Guidelines for Americans' Recommendations Does Not Induce Sensitization of Vegetable Reinforcement Among Adults with Overweight and Obesity: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND Food reinforcement, or the motivation to obtain food, can predict choice and consumption. Vegetable consumption is well below recommended amounts for adults, so understanding how to increase vegetable reinforcement could provide valuable insight into how to increase consumption. OBJECTIVES We sought to determine whether daily consumption of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) recommendations for vegetable intake induces sensitization of vegetable reinforcement in adults with overweight and obesity. METHODS Healthy adults with a BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2 who consumed ≤1 cup-equivalent of vegetables/day were randomly assigned to a vegetable intervention (VI; n = 55) or an attention control (AC; n = 55) group. The VI consisted of the daily provision of vegetables in the amounts and types recommended by the DGA (∼270 g/day) for 8 weeks. Participants were followed for an additional 8 weeks to assess sustained consumption. Compliance was measured weekly by resonance Raman light-scattering spectroscopy (RRS). Vegetable reinforcement was tested at weeks 0, 8, 12, and 16 using a computer choice paradigm. RESULTS In the VI group, RRS intensity increased from week 0 to 8 (from 22,990 to 37,220), returning to baseline by week 16 (27,300). No change was observed in the AC group. There was no main effect of treatment (P = 0.974) or time (P = 0.14) and no treatment x time interaction (P = 0.44) on vegetable reinforcement. There was no moderating effect of sex (P = 0.07), age (P = 0.60), BMI (P = 0.46), delay discounting (P = 0.24), 6-n-propylthiouracil taster status (P = 0.15), or dietary disinhibition (P = 0.82) on the change in vegetable reinforcement. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest no effects of the provision of a variety of vegetables to meet DGA recommendations for 8 weeks on vegetable reinforcement and highlight the difficulty in increasing vegetable consumption in adults. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02585102.
Temporal Indication of Marijuana Use Can Be Estimated From Plasma and Urine Concentrations of Ag-Tetrahydrocannabinol,

I Current technology establishes marijuana use based upon detection of the pharmacologically inactive cannabinoid metabolite (11-norAg-carboxy-tetrahydrocannabinol-9-carboxylic acid, THC-COOH) in urine. No accurate prediction of time of use is possible because THC-COOH has a half-life of 6 days. To determine if a temporal relationship between marijuana use and metabolite excretion patterns could be established, eight healthy user-volunteers (18-35 years old) smoked marijuana cigarettes containing 0% (placebo), 1.77%, and 3.58% Ag-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Plasma and urine were collected prior to smoking, 5 rain after smoking, and hourly thereafter for 8 h for measurement of cannabinoid concentrations by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Mathematical models proposed for determination of recent marijuana use were applied to data from this study and verified the temporal use of marijuana. One subject, who later admitted chronic marijuana use (urine baseline THCCOOH, 529.2 ng/mL; plasma, 75.5 ng/mL), excreted 8]3dibydroxy-THC, peaking 2 b postsmoking (92.3 ng/mL). Urinary THC, the psychoactive component of marijuana, concentrations peaked 2 h after smoking and declined to assay limit of detection (LOD) (1.5 ng/mL) by 6 h. 11 -Hydroxy-A%tetrahydrocannabinol (11-OH-THC) and THCCOOH were detectable for the entire 8-h testing period but continued to decrease. Urinary concentrations of THC greater than 9 Presented in part at the t 995 Society of Forensic Toxicologists meeting, Baltimore, MD and at the 1998 California Association of Toxicologists meeting, San Francisco, CA. ' Supported in part by NIDAgrant no. DA-05850. * Author to whom correspondence should be addressed: }oseph E. Manno, Ph,D,, LSU Health Sciences Center, Department of Emergency of Medicine (Section of Toxicology), P.O. Box 33932, Shreveport, LA 71130-3932. Current address: Morehouse School of Medicine, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Atlanta, GA. Current address: Private practice (neurology), Bossier City, LA. 1.5 ng/mL suggests marijuana use during the previous 8-h time period.