Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Effects of Working Memory Load on Auditory Distraction in Adults With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Cognitive control provides us with the ability to inter alia, regulate the locus of attention and ignore environmental distractions in accordance with our goals. Auditory distraction is a frequently cited symptom in adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (aADHD)–yet few task-based fMRI studies have explored whether deficits in cognitive control (associated with the disorder) impedes on the ability to suppress/compensate for exogenously evoked cortical responses to noise in this population. In the current study, we explored the effects of auditory distraction as function of working memory (WM) load. Participants completed two tasks: an auditory target detection (ATD) task in which the goal was to actively detect salient oddball tones amidst a stream of standard tones in noise, and a visual n-back task consisting of 0-, 1-, and 2-back WM conditions whilst concurrently ignoring the same tonal signal from the ATD task. Results indicated that our sample of young aADHD (n = 17), compared to typically developed controls (n = 17), had difficulty attenuating auditory cortical responses to the task-irrelevant sound when WM demands were high (2-back). Heightened auditory activity to task-irrelevant sound was associated with both poorer WM performance and symptomatic inattentiveness. In the ATD task, we observed a significant increase in functional communications between auditory and salience networks in aADHD. Because performance outcomes were on par with controls for this task, we suggest that this increased functional connectivity in aADHD was likely an adaptive mechanism for suboptimal listening conditions. Taken together, our results indicate that aADHD are more susceptible to noise interference when they are engaged in a primary task. The ability to cope with auditory distraction appears to be related to the WM demands of the task and thus the capacity to deploy cognitive control.
m6A Regulator-Mediated Methylation Modification Patterns and Characteristics of Immunity in Blood Leukocytes of COVID-19 Patients

Both RNA N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification of SARS-CoV-2 and immune characteristics of the human body have been reported to play an important role in COVID-19, but how the m6A methylation modification of leukocytes responds to the virus infection remains unknown. Based on the RNA-seq of 126 samples from the GEO database, we disclosed that there is a remarkably higher m6A modification level of blood leukocytes in patients with COVID-19 compared to patients without COVID-19, and this difference was related to CD4+ T cells. Two clusters were identified by unsupervised clustering, m6A cluster A characterized by T cell activation had a higher prognosis than m6A cluster B. Elevated metabolism level, blockage of the immune checkpoint, and lower level of m6A score were observed in m6A cluster B. A protective model was constructed based on nine selected genes and it exhibited an excellent predictive value in COVID-19. Further analysis revealed that the protective score was positively correlated to HFD45 and ventilator-free days, while negatively correlated to SOFA score, APACHE-II score, and crp. Our works systematically depicted a complicated correlation between m6A methylation modification and host lymphocytes in patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 and provided a well-performing model to predict the patients’ outcomes.
Potential Biodiversity Connectivity in the Network of Marine Protected Areas in Western Africa

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) must function as networks with sufficient stepping-stone continuity between suitable habitats to ensure the conservation of naturally connected regional pools of biodiversity in the long-term. For most marine biodiversity, population connectivity is mediated by passively dispersed planktonic stages with contrasting dispersal periods, ranging from a few hours to hundreds of days. These processes exert a major influence on whether threatened populations should be conserved as either isolated units or linked metapopulations. However, the distance scales at which individual MPAs are connected are insufficiently understood. Here, we use a biophysical model integrating high-resolution ocean currents and contrasting dispersal periods to predict connectivity across the Network of MPAs in Western Africa. Our results revealed that connectivity differs sharply among distinct ecological groups, from highly connected (e.g., fish and crustacea) to predominantly isolated ecosystem structuring species (e.g., corals, macroalgae and seagrass) that might potentially undermine conservation efforts because they are the feeding or nursery habitats required by many other species. Regardless of their dispersal duration, all ecological groups showed a common connectivity gap in the Bijagós region of Guinea-Bissau, highlighting the important role of MPAs there and the need to further support and increase MPA coverage to ensure connectivity along the whole network. Our findings provide key insights for the future management of the Network of MPAs in Western Africa, highlighting the need to protect and ensure continuity of isolated ecosystem structuring species and identifying key regions that function as stepping-stone connectivity corridors.
Screen Time and Bone Status in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review

Introduction: Technological advances over the last 2 decades have led to an increase in the time spent by children and youth engaged in screen-based activities, and growing recognition of deleterious effects on health. In this systematic review of cohort and cross-sectional studies, we assess current data on the relationship between screen time and bone status in children and teenagers. Methods: We searched PUBMED and SCOPUS databases for studies of children and adolescents that assessed screen time and bone status, determined by measuring bone mineral content or density, bone stiffness index, bone speed of sound, bone broadband ultrasound attenuation, or frame index. Searches were limited to studies published between 1900 and 2020, and performed in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The studies included were evaluated using the Newcastle-Ottawa quality assessment scale. Results: Ten cohort and cross-sectional studies including pediatric population were selected. The combined study population was 20,420 children/adolescents, of whom 18,444 participated in cross-sectional studies. Four studies assessed the effects of total screen time, seven the consequences of TV viewing time, and six the effects of recreational computer use on bone health. Our findings indicate an inverse association between total and weekly screen time and bone health in children and adolescents. In 57% of the studies included also a negative correlation between television viewing time and bone status was observed, while recreational computer time did not have a significant impact on bone health. According to the only four studies that included dietetic factors, no relevant differences were found between calcium intake and screen time or bone broadband ultrasound attenuation and bone speed of sound. Conclusions: Review of the literature of the past three decades provides strong support for comprehensive education of screen time on bone status. The findings of this systematic review support a negative association between screen time and bone status in children and adolescents, with a different impact when considering the different technological devices. As peak bone mass in adolescents is the strongest predictor of osteoporosis risk, strategies aimed at improving bone health should incorporate conscious use of digital technology.
MCC Regulator of WNT Signaling Pathway (MCC) Is a Podocyte Essential Gene

Podocytes are an integral part of the glomerular filtration barrier. Many genes are already known to be essential for podocyte survival, structure and function, but there are more podocyte essential genes to be identified. By single-cell RNA-seq of mouse podocytes, we detected the expression of gene encoding MCC regulator of WNT signaling pathway (MCC) in majority of the podocytes and speculated that MCC is essential for podocytes. We confirmed MCC expression in mouse podocytes and further showed its expression in human podocytes. To experimentally prove the essentiality of MCC for podocytes, we knocked down MCC in cultured podocytes and found marked morphological change of cell shape, cytoskeletal F-actin stress fiber disruption, increased apoptosis, and downregulation of podocyte essential genes, CD2AP and WT1, demonstrating that MCC is essential for podocytes. Since MCC has been implicated in cell cycle and β-catenin signaling, we examined the expression of cell cycle related genes and activity of β-catenin in the MCC knockdown podocytes, but did not find significant changes. To further explore the mechanism underlying the role of MCC in podocytes, we performed RNA-sequencing and bioinformatics analysis of MCC knockdown podocytes and found a significant enrichment of the regulated genes in lamellipodia formation. Consistently, we found that MCC is present in lamellipodia and MCC knockdown resulted in loss of lamellipodia in the cells. Lastly, we found that MCC was downregulated in podocytes treated with puromycin aminonucleosides and in glomeruli of diabetic mice and FSGS patients, implicating MCC is involved in the development of podocytopathy and proteinuria. In conclusion, MCC is potentially essential for podocytes and its downregulation may be involved in podocytopathy.
Cross-Sectional Associations Between Wake-Time Movement Compositions and Mental Health in Preschool Children With and Without Motor Coordination Problems

Movement behaviors have been found to be important correlates of health for children and may be particularly important for children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) who often experience greater mental health problems. To date, however, little research has investigated the daily movement composition of preschool children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) and/or its association with mental health. The purpose of the current study was to: (1) examine whether differences in movement compositions (i.e., sedentary time, light physical activity, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity) exist between typically developing (TD) preschool-age children and those at risk for DCD (rDCD); and (2) investigate associations between movement compositions and mental health indicators. This cross-sectional study used the baseline cohort data from the Coordination and Activity Tracking in CHildren (CATCH) study. A total of 589 preschool-age children (Mage = 4.94 ± 0.59 years; 57.4% boys) were included in this analysis, of which 288 scored at or below the 16th percentile on the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2 and were thus classified as rDCD. Wake time movement behaviors were measured using accelerometers and parents completed the Child Behavior Checklist to assess their child's mental health (i.e., internalizing and externalizing problems). Compositional data analysis techniques were used. After adjusting for potential confounders, the results demonstrated similar movement compositions between TD and rDCD children. Among the full sample, findings revealed a significant association between sedentary time and externalizing problems, however, each of the other associations did not reach statistical significance. These results are consistent with emerging evidence demonstrating similar patterns of physical activity and sedentary time among TD children and those classified as rDCD during the preschool years. Although movement behaviors explained little variance in mental health during this period, future research should investigate when movement compositions diverge, and how these changes may impact the mental health of TD children and those classified as rDCD later in childhood.
A Morphological and Histological Investigation of Imperfect Lungfish Fin Regeneration

Regeneration, the replacement of body parts in a living animal, has excited scientists for centuries and our knowledge of vertebrate appendage regeneration has increased significantly over the past decades. While the ability of amniotes to regenerate body parts is very limited, members of other vertebrate clades have been shown to have rather high regenerative capacities. Among tetrapods (four-limbed vertebrates), only salamanders show unparalleled capacities of epimorphic tissue regeneration including replacement of organ and body parts in an apparently perfect fashion. The closest living relatives of Tetrapoda, the lungfish, show regenerative abilities that are comparable to those of salamanders and recent studies suggest that these high regenerative capacities may indeed be ancestral for bony fish (osteichthyans) including tetrapods. While great progress has been made in recent years in understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms deployed during appendage regeneration, comparatively few studies have investigated gross morphological and histological features of regenerated fins and limbs. Likewise, rather little is known about how fin regeneration compares morphologically to salamander limb regeneration. In this study, we investigated the morphology and histology of regenerated fins in all three modern lungfish families. Data from histological serial sections, 3D reconstructions, and x-ray microtomography scans were analyzed to assess morphological features, quality and pathologies in lungfish fin regenerates. We found several anomalies resulting from imperfect regeneration in regenerated fins in all investigated lungfish species, including fusion of skeletal elements, additional or fewer elements, and distal branching. The similarity of patterns in regeneration abnormalities compared to salamander limb regeneration lends further support to the hypothesis that high regenerative capacities are plesiomorphic for sarcopterygians.
Support From Parents, Peers, and Teachers Is Differently Associated With Middle School Students’ Well-Being

Parents, peers, and teachers provide a powerful context for school students’ well-being. However, a detailed and systematic analysis of how parental, peer, and teacher support relate to students’ well-being, measured by the dimensions self-worth, psychological and physical well-being, is still missing. To address this research gap, the following study investigates 733 adolescent German students from grades 7 and 8 (Mage = 13.97, SD = 0.41, 52% girls) with respect to their perceived supportive relationships at home and within the school context. The study considers gender, socioeconomic status, and school form as potential confounders. The results of the structural equation model, analyzed with the statistical software R, indicate that perceived teacher support was positively related to students’ self-worth and physical well-being, while peer support was related to psychological well-being. Students who perceived their parents as supportive reported higher well-being with respect to all three dimensions investigated.
Identifying a Hypoxia-Related Long Non-Coding RNAs Signature to Improve the Prediction of Prognosis and Immunotherapy Response in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Abstract Background: Both hypoxia and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) contribute to the tumor progression in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We sought to establish a hypoxia-related lncRNA signature and explore its correlation with immunotherapy response in HCC. Materials and Methods: Hypoxia-related differentially expressed lncRNAs (HRDELs) were identified by conducting the differential gene expression analyses in GSE155505 and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA)- liver hepatocellular carcinoma (LIHC) datasets. The HRDELs landscape in patients with HCC in TCGA-LIHC was dissected by an unsupervised clustering method. Patients in the TCGA-LIHC cohort were stochastically split into the training and testing dataset. The prognostic signature was developed using LASSO (least absolute shrinkage and selection operator) penalty Cox and multivariable Cox analyses. The tumor immune microenvironment was delineated by the single-sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA) algorithm. The Tumor Immune Dysfunction and Exclusion (TIDE) algorithm was applied to evaluate the predictive value of the constructed signature in immunotherapeutic responsiveness. Results: A total of 55 HRDELs were identified through integrated bioinformatical analyses in GSE155505 and TCGA-LIHC. Patients in the TCGA-LIHC cohort were categorized into three HRDELs-specific clusters associated with different clinical outcomes. The prognostic signature involving five hypoxia-related lncRNAs ( LINC00869, CAHM, RHPN1-AS1, MKLN1-AS, and DUXAP8) was constructed in the training dataset and then validated in the testing dataset and entire TCGA-LIHC cohort. The 5-years AUC of the constructed signature for prognostic prediction reaches 0.705 and is superior to that of age, AJCC stage, and histopathological grade. Patients with high-risk scores consistently had poorer overall survival outcomes than those with low-risk scores irrespective of other clinical parameters status. The low-risk group had more abundance in activated CD8+ T cell and activated B cell and were predicted to be more responsive to immunotherapy and targeted therapy than the high-risk group. Conclusion: We established a reliable hypoxia-related lncRNAs signature that could accurately predict the clinical outcomes of HCC patients and correlate with immunotherapy response and targeted drug sensitivity, providing new insights for immunotherapy and targeted therapy in HCC.
The Immune Barrier of Porcine Uterine Mucosa Differs Dramatically at Proliferative and Secretory Phases and Could Be Positively Modulated by Colonizing Microbiota

Endometrial immune response is highly associated with the homeostatic balance of the uterus and embryo development; however, the underlying molecular regulatory mechanisms are not fully elucidated. Herein, the porcine endometrium showed significant variation in mucosal immunity in proliferative and secretory phases by single-cell RNA sequencing. The loose arrangement and high motility of the uterine epithelium in the proliferative phase gave opportunities for epithelial cells and dendritic cells to cross talk with colonizing microbial community, guiding lymphocyte migration into the mucosal and glandular epithelium. The migrating lymphocytes were primarily NK and CD8+ T cells, which were robustly modulated by the chemokine signaling. In the secretory phase, the significantly strengthened mechanical mucosal barrier and increased immunoglobulin A alleviated the migration of lymphocytes into the epithelium when the neuro-modulation, mineral uptake, and amino acid metabolism were strongly upregulated. The noticeably increased intraepithelial lymphocytes were positively modulated by the bacteria in the uterine cavity. Our findings illustrated that significant mucosal immunity variation in the endometrium in the proliferative and secretory phases was closely related to intraepithelial lymphocyte migration, which could be modulated by the colonizing bacteria after cross talk with epithelial cells with higher expressions of chemokine.
Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy in Pediatric Patients: An Important but Underrecognized Clinical Entity

Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) is an inherited cardiomyopathy characterized by fibrofatty infiltration of predominantly the right ventricular (RV) myocardium. Affected patients typically present as young adults with hemodynamically stable ventricular tachycardia, although pediatric cases are increasingly recognized. These young subjects often have a more severe phenotype with a high risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD) and progression toward heart failure. Diagnosis of ARVC is made by combining multiple sources of information as prescribed by the consensus-based Task Force Criteria. The description of Naxos disease, a fully penetrant autosomal recessive disorder that is associated with ARVC and a cutaneous phenotype of palmoplantar keratoderma and wooly hair facilitated the identification of the genetic cause of ARVC. At present, approximately 60% of patients are found to carry a pathogenic variant in one of five genes associated with the cardiac desmosome. The incomplete penetrance and variable expressivity of these variants however implies an important role for environmental factors, of which participation in endurance exercise is a strong risk factor. Since there currently is no definite cure for ARVC, disease management is directed toward symptom reduction, delay of disease progression, and prevention of SCD. This clinically focused review describes the spectrum of ARVC among children and adolescents, the genetic architecture underlying this disease, the cardio-cutaneous syndromes that led to its identification, and current diagnostic and therapeutic strategies in pediatric ARVC subjects.
A New HPV score System Predicts the Survival of Patients With Cervical Cancers

Persistent high-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) infection is confirmed as the major cause of cervical cancer. According to the HPV infection status, cervical cancer could be generalized as following three subgroups: HPV-negative, pure HPV-infection, and HPV-integration. Currently, the impact of HPV status on cervical cancer prognosis remains under dispute. Therefore, we explored the potential correlation between HPV status and the clinical outcome of cervical cancer, by establishing a robust prognostic predicting model based on a cervical cancer cohort using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. We performed an iCluster algorithm incorporating DNA copy number variation, SNP, DNA methylation, mRNA expression, and miRNA expression profile together and classified the cohort into three clusters. According to defined clusters, we established an HPV score system by weighing resultant gene alterations through random forest and COX models. This prediction tool could help to identify cervical cancer prognosis through evaluating individual HPV infection status and subsequent genetic modification, which might provide insights into HPV-related gene driven cervical cancer treatment strategies, yet its predictive power and robustness need to be further verified with independent cohorts.