Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Mixed‐methods exploration of students' motivation in using augmented reality in neuroanatomy education with prosected specimens

The use of augmented reality (AR) in teaching and studying neuroanatomy has been well researched. Previous research showed that AR‐based learning of neuroanatomy has both alleviated cognitive load and was attractive to young learners. However, how the attractiveness of AR effects student motivation has not been discovered. Therefore, the motivational effects of AR were investigated in this research by the use of quantitative and qualitative methods. Motivation elicited by the GreyMapp‐AR, an AR application, was investigated in medical and biomedical sciences students (n = 222; mean age: 19.7 ± 1.4 years) using the instructional measure of motivation survey (IMMS). Additional components (i.e., attention, relevance, confidence, and satisfaction) were also evaluated with motivation as measured by IMMS. Additionally, 19 students underwent audio‐recorded individual interviews which were transcribed for qualitative analysis. Males regarded the relevance of AR significantly higher than females (P < 0.024). Appreciation of the GreyMapp‐AR program was found to be significantly higher in students studying biomedical sciences as compared to students studying medicine (P < 0.011). Other components and scores did not show significant differences between student groups. Students expressed that AR was beneficial in increasing their motivation to study subcortical structures, and that AR could be helpful and motivating for preparing an anatomy examination. This study suggests that students are motivated to study neuroanatomy by the use of AR, although the components that make up their individual motivation can differ significantly between groups of students.
A CuO–ZnO nanostructured p–n junction sensor for enhanced N-butanol detection

Herein, a novel CuO–ZnO nanostructured p–n junction composite is prepared via the hydrothermal method. It is composed of a ZnO two dimensional (2-D) porous nanosheet assembly and leaf-like 2-D CuO nanoplates. Then, its gas sensing performance toward n-butanol is studied. The 2-D/2-D CuO–ZnO composite sensor shows 2.7 times higher sensitivity than that of pure ZnO at 220 °C. Moreover, its response to n-butanol is 3.5–84 times higher than those for other target gases. This reveals an excellent selectivity toward n-butanol. Its detection limit for n-butanol is calculated to be 0.4 ppm, indicating a potential advantage in low concentration detection. The significant enhancement of the composite's sensing performance can be firstly attributed to the p–n junction, which brings electronic sensitization for the composite sensor. Moreover, the porous structure and the open 2-D/2-D heterostructure also contribute to the sensing performance of the composite. These allow the gas molecules to diffuse rapidly, making chemisorption and surface reactions on the p–n junction more easy.
Erratum to: Integrative taxonomy of extant maras supports the recognition of the genera Pediolagus and Dolichotis within the Dolichotinae (Rodentia, Caviidae)

Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Universitaria, Pabellón II, C1428EGA Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina (DHC, DAC) Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias (IFIBYNE), CONICETUniversidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Universitaria, Pabellón II, 2do piso, C1428EHA Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina (DAC) División Mastozoología, Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales “Bernardino Rivadavia,” Av. Ángel Gallardo 470, C1405DJR Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina (GHC, SOL, PT) Departamento de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Nacional de Luján, Ruta 5 y Av. Constitución s/n, Luján, 6700 Buenos Aires, Argentina (GHC) Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas – CONICET, Godoy Cruz 2290, C1425FQB Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina. (GHC, SOL, PT)
Using Traditional Ecological Knowledge to Understand the Diversity and Abundance of Culturally Important Trees

Abstract. Combining Indigenous traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) with scientific research holds promise for more effectively meeting community objectives for the conservation of cultural forest resources. Our study focuses on predicting the abundance of western redcedar trees (Thuja plicata) within the traditional territories of five Indigenous Nations that are part of the Nnwaolas Council in British Columbia, Canada. Indigenous people in this region use western redcedar extensively for cultural practices, such as carving dugout canoes, totem poles, and traditional buildings. However, after more than a century of industrial logging, the abundance of redcedar suitable for these types of practices is in decline and no longer reflects past baseline conditions. We assess how using TEK from interviews with Indigenous carvers refines predictions of resource abundance compared to using only conventional field surveys. Our findings reveal that western redcedar trees suitable for traditional carving are generally rare, and that some important growth forms, such as those associated with carving community canoes, are nearly extirpated from the landscape. We demonstrate a useful application of TEK in conservation planning and highlight concerns about the impact of industrial forestry on culturally important trees.
Morphology and Distribution of Antennal Sensilla of the Predatory Clerid Beetle, Thanasimus substriatus (Coleoptera: Cleridae)

Abstract Thanasimus substriatus (Gebler) (Coleoptera: Cleridae) is an important predator of bark beetles (Scolytidae) and has been used in China for the biological control of the larch bark beetle, Ips subelongatus Motschulsky, and the spruce bark beetle, Ips typographus L. In this study, the number, external morphology, and distribution of antennal sensilla of T. substriatus were determined using scanning electron microscopy. The capitate antennae of both sexes consist of the scape, pedicel, and 9 flagellomeres. Two types of sensilla chaetica (SC1 and SC2), 2 types of sensilla trichodea (ST1 and ST2), 3 types of sensilla basiconica (SB1, SB2, SB3), and Böhm's bristles (BB) were identified according to the morphology and fine structure of each type of sensilla in both sexes. No differences in shape, structure, sensilla distribution, and typology were observed between the sexes. The density of sensilla was greater on the last 3 than on the first 8 segments. SC1 and SC2 occurred on all antennal segments in both sexes. SB1 were located only on the last 5 segments of the antennae. SB2 and SB3 were found only on the last 3 segments of the antennae and were absent on the first 8 segments in both sexes. ST1 and ST2 were absent from the scape and pedicel. BB only occurred on the scape and pedicel. The distal antennal sensilla of T. substriatus had notably more sensilla than proximal ones in type and number, indicating this is the main area to detect environmental stimuli for feeding or oviposition.
Sequence Analysis of Mitochondrial Cytochrome Oxidase 1 from Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) Populations in Iran1

Abstract Bemisia tabaci Gennadius (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) has been phylogenetically divided into several putative species based on nucleotide sequence of mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase 1 (mtCOI). To confirm the putative species among B. tabaci populations in Iran, insects were collected from different regions and plant hosts in Khuzestan province of southwestern Iran, and their mtCOI sequences were determined. DNA polymorphism and phylogenetic analysis of the 10 mtCOI sequences obtained showed four haplotypes among the specimens from Khuzestan province that were identified as the putative species MEAM1-subcladeB. Moreover, specimens previously collected from Iran were found to be members of the MEAM1-subcladeB2. Twelve variable sites were detected throughout the Iran-originated mtCOI sequences contributing to their position on the phylogenetic tree. This is the first study reporting the putative species MEAM1-subcladeB from southwestern Iran.
A molecular view of DNA flexibility

Abstract DNA dynamics can only be understood by taking into account its complex mechanical behavior at different length scales. At the micrometer level, the mechanical properties of single DNA molecules have been well-characterized by polymer models and are commonly quantified by a persistence length of 50 nm (~150 bp). However, at the base pair level (~3.4 Å), the dynamics of DNA involves complex molecular mechanisms that are still being deciphered. Here, we review recent single-molecule experiments and molecular dynamics simulations that are providing novel insights into DNA mechanics from such a molecular perspective. We first discuss recent findings on sequence-dependent DNA mechanical properties, including sequences that resist mechanical stress and sequences that can accommodate strong deformations. We then comment on the intricate effects of cytosine methylation and DNA mismatches on DNA mechanics. Finally, we review recently reported differences in the mechanical properties of DNA and double-stranded RNA, the other double-helical carrier of genetic information. A thorough examination of the recent single-molecule literature permits establishing a set of general ‘rules’ that reasonably explain the mechanics of nucleic acids at the base pair level. These simple rules offer an improved description of certain biological systems and might serve as valuable guidelines for future design of DNA and RNA nanostructures.
Do host habitat use and cospeciation matter in the evolution of Oswaldocruzia (Nematoda, Molineidae) from neotropical amphibians?

Abstract The genus Oswaldocruzia Travassos, 1917 includes approximately 90 species that are parasitic on amphibians and reptiles around the world, of which 43 occur in the neotropical region. However, molecular data supporting the taxonomic status of most species of the genus are scarce, and their phylogenetic relationships remain unknown. Using specimens of four molineid taxa (Oswaldocruzia belenensis Santos, Giese, Maldonado Jr. and Lanfredi, 2008; Oswaldocruzia chabaudi Ben Slimane & Durette-Desset, 1996, Oswaldocruzia chambrieri Ben Slimane & Durette-Desset, 1996 and Kentropyxia hylae Feitosa, Furtado, Santos and Melo, 2015) from amphibian hosts collected in different regions of Pará, Brazil, we conducted morphological studies, molecular analyses and phylogenies (maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference) using the cytochrome c oxidase subunity I (Cox1) gene. The newly generated sequences were compared with those of ten publicly available Cox1 sequences of Oswaldocruzia from Mexico. Our findings demonstrated significant differences between the sequences of amazonian specimens and sequences from specimens collected in Mexico, and we suggest that host–parasite cospeciation or habitat use might be related to molineid evolution in amphibian hosts. Additionally, this work presents new hosts and new geographical records for species of Oswaldocruzia from the neotropics.
Parallel processing in speech perception with local and global representations of linguistic context

Speech processing is highly incremental. It is widely accepted that human listeners continuously use the linguistic context to anticipate upcoming concepts, words, and phonemes. However, previous evidence supports two seemingly contradictory models of how a predictive context is integrated with the bottom-up sensory input: Classic psycholinguistic paradigms suggest a two-stage process, in which acoustic input initially leads to local, context-independent representations, which are then quickly integrated with contextual constraints. This contrasts with the view that the brain constructs a single coherent, unified interpretation of the input, which fully integrates available information across representational hierarchies, and thus uses contextual constraints to modulate even the earliest sensory representations. To distinguish these hypotheses, we tested magnetoencephalography responses to continuous narrative speech for signatures of local and unified predictive models. Results provide evidence that listeners employ both types of models in parallel. Two local context models uniquely predict some part of early neural responses, one based on sublexical phoneme sequences, and one based on the phonemes in the current word alone; at the same time, even early responses to phonemes also reflect a unified model that incorporates sentence level constraints to predict upcoming phonemes. Neural source localization places the anatomical origins of the different predictive models in non-identical parts of the superior temporal lobes bilaterally, with the right hemisphere showing a relative preference for more local models. These results suggest that speech processing recruits both local and unified predictive models in parallel, reconciling previous disparate findings. Parallel models might make the perceptual system more robust, facilitate processing of unexpected inputs, and serve a function in language acquisition. Impact statement Speech processing engages multiple predictive models, using sublexical, word- and sentence contexts in parallel to anticipate upcoming phonemes.
Loss of GdpP Function in Staphylococcus aureus Leads to β-Lactam Tolerance and Enhanced Evolution of β-Lactam Resistance

Infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus are a leading cause of mortality. Treating infections caused by S. aureus is difficult due to resistance against most traditional antibiotics, including β-lactams. We previously reported the presence of mutations in gdpP among S. aureus strains that were obtained by serial passaging in β-lactam drugs. ABSTRACT Infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus are a leading cause of mortality. Treating infections caused by S. aureus is difficult due to resistance against most traditional antibiotics, including β-lactams. We previously reported the presence of mutations in gdpP among S. aureus strains that were obtained by serial passaging in β-lactam drugs. Similar mutations have recently been reported in natural S. aureus isolates that are either nonsusceptible or resistant to β-lactam antibiotics. gdpP codes for a phosphodiesterase that cleaves cyclic-di-AMP (CDA), a newly discovered second messenger. In this study, we sought to identify the role of gdpP in β-lactam resistance in S. aureus. Our results showed that gdpP-associated mutations caused loss of phosphodiesterase function, leading to increased CDA accumulation in the bacterial cytosol. Deletion of gdpP led to an enhanced ability of the bacteria to withstand a β-lactam challenge (2 to 3 log increase in bacterial CFU) by promoting tolerance without enhancing MICs of β-lactam antibiotics. Our results demonstrated that increased drug tolerance due to loss of GdpP function can provide a selective advantage in acquisition of high-level β-lactam resistance. Loss of GdpP function thus increases tolerance to β-lactams that can lead to its therapy failure and can permit β-lactam resistance to occur more readily.
Postsynaptic plasticity of cholinergic synapses underlies the induction and expression of appetitive memories in Drosophila

In vertebrates, several forms of memory-relevant synaptic plasticity involve postsynaptic rearrangements of glutamate receptors. In contrast, previous work indicates that Drosophila and other invertebrates store memories using presynaptic plasticity of cholinergic synapses. Here, we provide evidence for postsynaptic plasticity at cholinergic output synapses from the Drosophila mushroom bodies (MBs). We find that the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) subunit α5 is required within specific MB output neurons (MBONs) for appetitive memory induction, but is dispensable for aversive memories. In addition, nAChR α2 subunits mediate memory expression and likely functions downstream of α5 and the postsynaptic scaffold protein Dlg. We show that postsynaptic plasticity traces can be induced independently of the presynapse, and that in vivo dynamics of α2 nAChR subunits are changed both in the context of associative and non-associative memory formation, underlying different plasticity rules. Therefore, regardless of neurotransmitter identity, key principles of postsynaptic plasticity support memory storage across phyla.
Functional Constraints on Insect Immune System Components Govern Their Evolutionary Trajectories

The role of constraints in shaping evolutionary outcomes is often investigated in the contexts of developmental biology and population genetics, in terms of the capacity to generate new variants as well as how selection either limits or promotes consequent phenotypic change. Comparative genomics also recognises the role of constraints, in terms of shaping the evolution of gene and genome architectures, sequence evolutionary rates, and gene gains and losses, as well as on molecular phenotypes. Characterising patterns of genomic change where putative functions and interactions of system components are relatively well-described offers opportunities to explore whether genes with similar or analogous roles exhibit similar evolutionary trajectories, possibly governed by common constraints. Using insect innate immunity as our study system, we hypothesise that quantitative characterisation of gene evolutionary histories can define distinct dynamics associated with different functional roles. We develop metrics that quantify gene evolutionary histories, employ these to characterise evolutionary features of immune gene repertoires, and explore relationships between gene family evolutionary profiles and their roles in immunity to understand how different constraints may relate to distinct dynamics. We identified three main axes of evolutionary trajectories characterised by gene duplication and synteny, maintenance/stability and sequence conservation, and loss and sequence divergence, highlighting similar and contrasting patterns across these axes amongst subsets of immune genes. Our results indicate that where and how genes participate in immune responses limit the range of possible evolutionary scenarios they exhibit. Comparative genomics approaches therefore offer opportunities to characterise how functional constraints on different components of biological systems govern their evolutionary trajectories.
Exploring the Interactome of Cytochrome P450 2E1 in Human Liver Microsomes with Chemical Crosslinking Mass Spectrometry

Aiming to elucidate the grounds of system-wide effects of the alcohol-induced increase in the content of cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1) on drug metabolism, we explored the array of its protein-protein interactions (proteome) in human liver microsomes (HLM) with chemical crosslinking mass spectrometry (CXMS). Our strategy employs membrane incorporation of purified CYP2E1 modified with photoreactive crosslinkers benzophenone-4-maleimide (BPM) and 4-(N-succinimidylcarboxy)benzophenone (BPS). Exposure of bait-incorporated HLM samples to light was followed by isolating the His-tagged bait protein and its crosslinked aggregates on Ni-NTA agarose. Analyzing the individual bands of SDS-PAGE slabs of thereby isolated protein with the toolset of untargeted proteomics, we detected the crosslinked dimeric and trimeric complexes of CYP2E1 with other drug-metabolizing enzymes. Among the most extensively crosslinked partners of CYP2E1 are the cytochromes P450 2A6, 2C8, 3A4, 4A11, and 4F2. Of particular interest are the interactions of CYP2E1 with the latter two enzymes, which are involved in the synthesis and disposal of vasoactive and pro-inflammatory eicosanoids. We also detected the conjugates of CYP2E1 with UDP-glucuronosyltransferases (UGTs) 1A and 2B, fatty aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH3A2), epoxide hydrolase 1 (EPHX1), disulfide oxidase 1α (ERO1L), and ribophorin II (RPN2). These results demonstrate the exploratory power of the proposed CXMS strategy and corroborate the concept of tight functional integration in the human drug-metabolizing ensemble through protein-protein interactions of the constituting enzymes.
The Role of the Human Brain Neuron-Glia-Synaptic Composition in Forming Resting State Functional Connectivity Networks

While significant progress has been achieved in studying resting state functional networks in a healthy human brain and in a wide range of clinical conditions, many questions related to their relationship to the brain’s cellular constituents remain open. Herein we use quantitative Gradient-Recalled-Echo (qGRE) MRI for mapping human brain cellular composition, and BOLD (blood oxygen level dependent) MRI to explore how the brain cellular constituents relate to resting state functional networks. Results show that the BOLD-signal-defined synchrony of connections between cellular circuits in network-defined individual functional units is mainly associated with the regional neuronal density, while the between-functional-units connectivity strength is also influenced by the glia and synaptic components of brain tissue cellular constituents. These mechanisms lead to a rather broad distribution of resting state functional networks properties. Visual networks with the highest neuronal density (but lowest density of glial cells and synapses) exhibit the strongest coherence of BOLD signal, as well as the strongest intra-network connectivity. The Default Mode Network (DMN) is positioned near the opposite part of the spectrum with relatively low coherence of the BOLD signal but a remarkably balanced cellular content enabling DMN prominent role in the overall organization of the brain and the hierarchy of functional networks.
Evolution of the Quorum Sensing Regulon in Cooperating Populations of Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Pseudomonas aeruginosa uses quorum sensing (QS) to activate expression of dozens of genes (the QS regulon). Because there is strain-to-strain variation in the size and content of the QS regulon, we asked how the regulon might evolve during long-term P. aeruginosa growth when cells require some but not all the functions activated by QS. ABSTRACT In the opportunistic pathogenic bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa acyl-homoserine lactone quorum sensing (QS) can activate expression of dozens to hundreds of genes depending on the strain under investigation. Many QS-activated genes code for extracellular products. P. aeruginosa has become a model for studies of cell-cell communication and coordination of cooperative activities, which result from production of extracellular products. We hypothesized that strain variation in the size of the QS regulon might reflect the environmental history of an isolate. We tested the hypothesis by performing long-term growth experiments with the well-studied strain PAO1, which has a relatively large QS regulon, under conditions where only limited QS-controlled functions are required. We grew P. aeruginosa for about 1000 generations in a condition where expression of QS-activated genes was required, and emergence of QS mutants was constrained and compared the QS regulons of populations after 35 generations to those after about 1000 generations in two independent lineages by using quorum quenching and RNA-seq technology. In one lineage the number of QS-activated genes identified was reduced by over 60% and in the other by about 30% in 1000-generation populations compared to 35-generation populations. Our results provide insight about the variations in the number of QS-activated genes reported for different P. aeruginosa environmental and clinical isolates and, about how environmental conditions might influence social evolution. IMPORTANCE Pseudomonas aeruginosa uses quorum sensing (QS) to activate expression of dozens of genes (the QS regulon). Because there is strain-to-strain variation in the size and content of the QS regulon, we asked how the regulon might evolve during long-term P. aeruginosa growth when cells require some but not all the functions activated by QS. We demonstrate that the P. aeruginosa QS-regulon can undergo a reductive adaptation in response to continuous QS-dependent growth. Our results provide insights into why there is strain-to-strain variability in the size and content of the P. aeruginosa QS regulon.