Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Systematic Monitoring of Cognitive Function During Electroconvulsive Therapy: A Retrospective Analysis of Data From a Service Using a Short Cognitive Testing Battery.

OBJECTIVE International guidelines suggest repeating cognitive testing at intervals throughout a course of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) to monitor its effects on cognitive function. However, it is apparent that few services do this, and an optimal battery of testing has not yet been established. We aimed to evaluate the utility of such routine cognitive testing in a clinic where patients had been routinely tested at intervals throughout a course of ECT. METHODS All patients referred for ECT at a public ECT clinic were offered routine cognitive testing to monitor cognitive function during their course of ECT. Testing was conducted at baseline and after 3, 6, and 9 treatments. Analyses examined whether change in individual measures predicted reduction in autobiographical memory at subsequent measures and whether the results that were given to clinicians informed treatment decisions. RESULTS Changes in cognitive test results were not associated with clinician decisions to change treatment parameters. Only change in digit span forwards after 3 treatments was associated with later reduction in Colombia University Autobiographical Interview - Short Form (CUAMI-SF) of greater than 25%, with a larger improvement in digit span forwards being associated with greater chance of having a 25% reduction in CUAMI-SF. CONCLUSIONS There was no evidence that the screening undertaken in this clinic had been helpful in determining treatment decisions or that changes in cognitive tests predicted in a reliable way who would later experience changes in autobiographical memory. However, follow-up testing was not completed reliably, and longer-term data regarding autobiographical memory were not collected.
A Secure Adaptive Control for Cooperative Driving of Autonomous Connected Vehicles in the Presence of Heterogeneous Communication Delays and Cyberattacks

The development of autonomous connected vehicles, moving as a platoon formation, is a hot topic in the intelligent transportation system (ITS) research field. It is on the road and deployment requires the design of distributed control strategies, leveraging secure vehicular ad-hoc networks (VANETs). Indeed, wireless communication networks can be affected by various security vulnerabilities and cyberattacks leading to dangerous implications for cooperative driving safety. Control design can play an important role in providing both resilience and robustness to vehicular networks. To this aim, in this article, we tackle and solve the problem of cyber-secure tracking for a platoon that moves as a cohesive formation along a single lane undergoing different kinds of cyber threats, that is, application layer and network layer attacks, as well as network induced phenomena. The proposed cooperative approach leverages an adaptive synchronization-based control algorithm that embeds a distributed mitigation mechanism of malicious information. The closed-loop stability is analytically demonstrated by using the Lyapunov–Krasovskii theory, while its effectiveness in coping with the most relevant type of cyber threats is disclosed by using PLEXE, a high fidelity simulator which provides a realistic simulation of cooperative driving systems.
Alterations of connectivity patterns in functional brain networks in patients with mild traumatic brain injury: A longitudinal resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging study

Aim In the present study, we aimed to characterise changes in functional brain networks in individuals who had sustained uncomplicated mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). We assessed the progression of these changes into the chronic phase. We also attempted to explore how these changes influenced the severity of post-concussion symptoms as well as the cognitive profile of the patients. Methods A total of 65 patients were prospectively recruited for an advanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan within 7 days of sustaining mTBI. Of these, 25 were reassessed at 6 months post injury. Differences in functional brain networks were analysed between cases and age- and sex-matched healthy controls using independent component analysis of resting-state functional MRI. Results Our study revealed reduced functional connectivity in multiple networks, including the anterior default mode network, central executive network, somato-motor and auditory network in patients who had sustained mTBI. A negative correlation between network connectivity and severity of post-concussive symptoms was observed. Follow-up studies performed 6 months after injury revealed an increase in network connectivity, along with an improvement in the severity of post-concussion symptoms. Neurocognitive tests performed at this time point revealed a positive correlation between the functional connectivity and the test scores, along with a persistence of negative correlation between network connectivity and post-concussive symptom severity. Conclusion Our results suggest that uncomplicated mTBI is associated with specific abnormalities in functional brain networks that evolve over time and may contribute to the severity of post-concussive symptoms and cognitive deficits.
The Effects of a 6-Month High Dose Omega-3 and Omega-6 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and Antioxidant Vitamins Supplementation on Cognitive Function and Functional Capacity in Older Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment

The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of a high-dose omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids supplementation, in combination with antioxidant vitamins, on cognitive function and functional capacity of older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), over a 6-month period in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Forty-six older adults with MCI (age: 78.8 ± 7.3 years) were randomized 1:1 to receive either a 20 mL dose of a formula containing a mixture of omega-3 (810 mg Eicosapentaenoic acid and 4140 mg Docosahexaenoic acid) and omega-6 fatty acids (1800 mg gamma-Linolenic acid and 3150 mg Linoleic acid) (1:1 w/w), with 0.6 mg vitamin A, vitamin E (22 mg) plus pure γ-tocopherol (760 mg), or 20 mL placebo containing olive oil. Participants completed assessments of cognitive function, functional capacity, body composition and various aspects of quality of life at baseline and following three and six months of supplementation. Thirty-six participants completed the study (eighteen from each group). A significant interaction between supplementation and time was found on cognitive function (Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Examination -Revised (ACE-R), Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Stroop Color and Word Test (STROOP) color test; p < 0.001, p = 0.011 and p = 0.037, respectively), functional capacity (6-min walk test and sit-to-stand-60; p = 0.028 and p = 0.032, respectively), fatigue (p < 0.001), physical health (p = 0.007), and daily sleepiness (p = 0.007)—showing a favorable improvement for the participants receiving the supplement. The results indicate that this nutritional modality could be promising for reducing cognitive and functional decline in the elderly with MCI.
Association of maternal HIV-1 severity with dental caries: an observational study of uninfected 5- to 7-yr-old children of HIV-1-infected mothers without severe immune suppression.

Treatment programs to prevent perinatal and postnatal HIV-1 transmission have become available in sub-Saharan Africa, leading to an emerging population of HIV-1 exposed uninfected (HEU) children. Exposure to HIV-1 in utero and during breastfeeding may increase the risk of morbidity and mortality in HEU children. This study estimated the association of the severity of maternal HIV-1 infection as assessed by CD4 count and viral load at baseline (7 d postpartum), with dmft count of their 5- to 7-yr-old HEU offspring. A follow-up study was conducted of HIV-1-infected mother-HEU children pairs (n = 164) from the Ugandan site of the ANRS 12341-PROMISE- PEP trial (ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00640263). HIV-1-infected mothers were interviewed and the HEU children were examined for caries using the World Health Organization's survey methods for field conditions and the dmft index. Directed acyclic graphs and negative binomial regression were used for analyses. The prevalence of 1 or more dmft was 48%. Negative binomial regression showed no association between the dmft count and maternal CD4 counts 7 d postpartum but a 10% lower dmft count with longer breastfeeding duration was found. Maternal CD4 count at birth was not associated with the dental caries experience in uninfected children born to women without severe immune suppression, while there appeared to be a protective effect of high viral load and breastfeeding duration.
Takotsubo syndrome in Heart Failure and World Congress on Acute Heart Failure 2019: highlights from the experts

Takotsubo syndrome was featured in various sessions and posters at the recent Heart Failure Congress and World Congress on Acute Heart Failure 2019 held in Athens. The importance and increasing recognition of this acute heart failure syndrome is reflected by the growing activity at Heart Failure Association congresses over the last 8 years. Two dedicated sessions to Takotsubo syndrome with comprehensive lectures from experts in the field and several posters highlighted new scientific progress, important aspects of epidemiology, pathophysiology, risk stratification, and management of the syndrome and discussed gaps in knowledge of this intriguing entity. This paper will summarize the topics discussed in these sessions including the most recent data from large registries, clinical, and pre‐clinical studies presented at the meeting.
Acid Hydrolyzed Silk Peptide Consumption Improves Anti-Diabetic Symptoms by Potentiating Insulin Secretion and Preventing Gut Microbiome Dysbiosis in Non-Obese Type 2 Diabetic Animals

Silk fibroin hydrolysates have been reported to reduce hyperglycemia, but the mechanism has not been determined in Asian type 2 diabetes (T2DM). We hypothesized that the consumption of acid hydrolyzed silk peptides (SPs) alleviates hyperglycemia by improving insulin sensitivity and subsequently normalizing glucose-stimulated insulin secretion in T2DM. We investigated this hypothesis in a partial pancreatectomized (Px) rat model. Px rats was assigned randomly to the following six groups and fed assigned diet for 8 weeks: the Px-control (0.5 g/kg/day dextrin), the SP-L (0.05 g/kg/day), the SP-M (0.1 g/kg/day), the SP-H (0.5 g/kg/day), the positive-control (40 mg/kg/day metformin), or the normal-control (sham-operated rats; 0.5 g/kg/day dextrin). SPs contained high levels of glycine, alanine, and serine. We found SPs dose-dependently increased food efficiency and body weight gain in Px rats. Animals in the Px-control group rats exhibited lower glucose metabolism, as evidenced by impaired glucose-stimulated insulin secretion coupled with impaired insulin sensitivity, and reduced bone mineral density (BMD) and lean body mass (LBM), compared to the normal-control. SPs and metformin similarly partially protected against Px-induced BMD loss in the lumbar spine and femur. Px-induced decreases in LBM were dose-dependently prevented by SPs, and muscle forces in the SP-M and SP-H groups were maintained at the normal-control level. Glucose tolerance was dose-dependently improved by SPs as determined by oral glucose tolerance and oral maltose tolerance tests, and glucose tolerances were similar in the SP-H and positive-control groups. Insulin tolerance, an index of insulin sensitivity, was dose-dependently enhanced by SPs, and the SP-H group exhibited better insulin tolerance than the positive-control group as determined by intraperitoneal insulin sensitivity testing. Insulin secretory capacity assessed using a hyperglycemic clamp improved in the following order: Px-control <SA-L <SA-M <positive-control <SA-H <normal-control. SP-M prevented gut microbiota dysbiosis. In conclusion, SPs administered at 0.1–0.5 g/kg/day improved glucose regulation by potentiating both insulin secretion and insulin sensitivity in non-obese T2DM rats.
Shewanella khirikhana sp. nov. – a shrimp pathogen isolated from a cultivation pond exhibiting early mortality syndrome

Early mortality syndrome (EMS) in cultivated shrimp is of complex aetiology. One of the causes is acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease (AHPND) caused by unique Vibrio isolates that carry two Pirvp toxin genes, but other causes of EMS remain mostly unexplained. Here, we describe the discovery of a Shewanella isolate TH2012T from an EMS/AHPND outbreak pond and demonstrate its virulence for shrimp (the mean lethal concentration of 105 colony‐forming units per millilitre by immersion challenge) accompanied by distinctive histopathology, particularly of the ventral nerve cord and lymphoid organ but also including the digestive tract. On the basis of its complete genome sequence, multilocus phylogenetic trees, digital DNA–DNA hybridization analysis and differential phenotypic characteristics, we propose that Shewanella isolate TH2012T represents a novel species, separated sufficiently from the type strains S. litorisediminis and S. amazonensis to justify naming it Shewanella khirikhana sp. nov. Analysis of the TH2012T genome revealed no homologues of the Pirvp toxin genes but revealed a number of other potential virulence factors. It constitutes the first Shewanella isolate reported to be pathogenic to shrimp.
Increased BNST reactivity to affective images is associated with greater α-amylase response to social stress

Abstract While rodent research suggests that the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) and centromedial amygdala (CM) coordinate the hormonal stress response, little is known about the BNST’s role in the human stress response. The human BNST responds to negatively valenced stimuli, which likely subserves its role in responding to threat. Thus, variation in BNST reactivity to negatively valenced stimuli may relate to differences in the stress response. We measured participants’ blood oxygenated level-dependent response to affective images and salivary cortisol and α-amylase (AA) levels in response to a subsequent Trier social stress test (TSST). Greater BNST activation to emotionally evocative images was associated with a larger TSST-evoked AA, but not cortisol response. This association remained after controlling for CM activation, which was not related to the cortisol or AA response. These results suggest that the BNST response to negatively valenced images subserves its role in coordinating the stress response, a BNST role in the stress response independent from the CM, and highlight the need for investigation of the conditions under which BNST activation predicts the cortisol response. Our findings are critical for the future study of mood and anxiety disorders, as dysregulation of the stress system plays a key role in their pathogenesis.
The LisH Domain-Containing N-Terminal Fragment is Important for the Localization, Dimerization, and Stability of Katnal2 in Tetrahymena

Katanin-like 2 protein (Katnal2) orthologs have a tripartite domain organization. Two highly conserved regions, an N-terminal LisH (Lis-homology) domain and a C-terminal AAA catalytic domain, are separated by a less conserved linker. The AAA domain of Katnal2 shares the highest amino acid sequence homology with the AAA domain of the canonical katanin p60. Katnal2 orthologs are present in a wide range of eukaryotes, from protists to humans. In the ciliate Tetrahymena thermophila, a Katnal2 ortholog, Kat2, co-localizes with the microtubular structures, including basal bodies and ciliary outer doublets, and this co-localization is sensitive to levels of microtubule glutamylation. The functional analysis of Kat2 domains suggests that an N-terminal fragment containing a LisH domain plays a role in the subcellular localization, dimerization, and stability of Kat2.
Rurality and Risk of Suicide Attempts and Death by Suicide among People Living in Four English-speaking High-income Countries: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Objective: Previous research indicates a potential relationship between rurality and suicide, indicating that those living in rural areas may be at increased risk of suicide. This relationship has not been reviewed systematically. This study aims to determine whether those living in rural areas are more likely to complete or attempt suicide. Method: This systematic review and meta-analysis included observational studies based on people living in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Data sources included PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO, and Google Scholar from January 2006 to December 2017. Studies must have compared rural and urban suicide or suicide attempts. Nonprimary research articles were excluded. Results: A total of 6,259 studies were identified and 53 were included. Results indicate that males living in rural areas are more likely to complete suicide than their urban counterparts (RR = 1.41, 95% CI, 1.21 to 1.64, I 2 = 96%). Females in rural areas are not significantly more likely to complete suicide (RR = 1.16, 95% CI, 0.98 to 1.37, I 2 = 79%). Among studies that only reported combined estimates, rural individuals are more likely to complete suicide (RR = 1.22, 95% CI, 1.11 to 1.33, I 2 = 98%). There is no association found between rurality and suicide attempts (RR = 0.93, 95% CI, 0.73 to 1.19, I 2 = 85%). Conclusions: Those living in rural areas are more likely to complete suicide, with some studies indicating that only rural males are more likely to complete suicide; these findings are relatively consistent across all four countries. Public health initiatives should aim to overcome geographic variation in completed suicide, with a particular focus on rural males.
Discrimination, family emotional climate, and African American health: An application of the BBFM.

The Biobehavioral Family Model (BBFM) is a biopsychosocial model of health that has been substantiated across multiple studies. However, the findings of those studies are limited given the lack of representation of Black/African American individuals in the samples. Discrimination is a chronic and pervasive stressor for many African American families, yet little is known about connections between discrimination, family relationships, and health. Using Data from the Midlife Development in the United States (MIDUS) Milwaukee project (n = 592), this study tested the pathways of the BBFM with a sample comprised only of African American individuals Additionally, it tested how discrimination influenced the pathways of the BBFM. Results of model testing found that family support (above and beyond romantic partner relationship quality and family strain) was a key factor in respondents' mental and physical health and that family support mediated the association between discrimination and mental health. The findings suggest the importance of including discrimination when examining family health pathways for African Americans and exploring the influence of relationships beyond the romantic partnership when examining health. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).
Cataglyphis meets Drosophila

Abstract In Cataglyphis and Drosophila – in desert ants and fruit flies – research on visually guided behavior took different paths. While work in Cataglyphis started in the field and covered the animal’s wide navigational repertoire, in Drosophila the initial focus was on a particular kind of visual control behavior scrutinized within the confines of the laboratory arena, before research concentrated on more advanced behaviors. In recent times, these multi-pronged approaches in flies and ants increasingly converge, both conceptually and methodologically, and thus lay the ground for combined neuroethological efforts. In spite of the obvious differences in the behavioral repertoire of these two groups of insects, likely commonalities in the navigational processes and underlying neuronal circuitries are increasingly coming to the fore.
Galectin 3–binding protein suppresses amyloid-β production by modulating β-cleavage of amyloid precursor protein

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common type of dementia, and its pathogenesis is associated with accumulation of β-amyloid (Aβ) peptides. Aβ is produced from amyloid precursor protein (APP) that is sequentially cleaved by β- and γ-secretases. Therefore, APP processing has been a target in therapeutic strategies for managing AD; however, no effective treatment of AD patients is currently available. Here, to identify endogenous factors that modulate Aβ production, we performed a gene microarray–based transcriptome analysis of neuronal cells derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells, because Aβ production in these cells changes during neuronal differentiation. We found that expression of the glycophosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase D1 (GPLD1) gene is associated with these changes in Aβ production. GPLD1 overexpression in HEK293 cells increased the secretion of galectin 3–binding protein (GAL3BP), which suppressed Aβ production in an AD model, neuroglioma H4 cells. Mechanistically, GAL3BP suppressed Aβ production by directly interacting with APP and thereby inhibiting APP processing by β-secretase. Furthermore, we show that cells take up extracellularly added GAL3BP via endocytosis and that GAL3BP is localized in close proximity to APP in endosomes where amyloidogenic APP processing takes place. Taken together, our results indicate that GAL3BP may be a suitable target of AD-modifying drugs in future therapeutic strategies for managing AD.