Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Modelling transitions between egalitarian, dynamic leader and absolutist power structures

Human groups show a variety of leadership dynamics ranging from egalitarian groups with no leader, to groups with changing leaders, to absolutist groups with a single long-term leader. Here, we model transitions between these different phases of leadership dynamics, investigating the role of inequalities in relationships between individuals. Our results demonstrate a novel riches-to-rags class of leadership dynamics where a leader can be replaced by a new individual. We note that the transition between the three different phases of leadership dynamics resembles transitions in leadership dynamics during the Neolithic period of human history. We argue how technological developments, such as food storage and/or weapons which allow one individual to control large quantities of resources, would mean that relationships became more unequal. In general terms, we provide a model of how individual relationships can affect leadership dynamics and structures.
Regulation of lysosomal trafficking of progranulin by sortilin and prosaposin

Abstract Haploinsufficiency of the progranulin protein is a leading cause of frontotemporal lobar degeneration. Accumulating evidence support a crucial role of progranulin in the lysosome. Progranulin comprises 7.5 granulin repeats and is known to traffic to lysosomes via direct interactions with prosaposin or sortilin. Within the lysosome, progranulin gets processed into granulin peptides. Here, we report that sortilin and prosaposin independently regulate lysosomal trafficking of progranulin in vivo. The deletion of either prosaposin or sortilin alone results in a significant decrease in the ratio of granulin peptides versus full-length progranulin in mouse brain lysates. This decrease is further augmented by the deficiency of both prosaposin and sortilin. A concomitant increase in the levels of secreted progranulin in the serum was observed. Interestingly, while the deletion of both prosaposin and sortilin totally abolishes lysosomal localization of progranulin in neurons, it has a limited effect on lysosomal trafficking of progranulin in microglia, suggesting the existence of a novel sortilin and prosaposin independent pathway mediating progranulin lysosomal trafficking. In summary, our studies shed light on the regulation of lysosomal trafficking and processing of progranulin in vivo.
Theoretical evidence that root penetration ability interacts with soil compaction regimes to affect nitrate capture

Abstract Background and Aims Although root penetration of strong soils has been intensively studied at the scale of individual root axes, interactions between soil physical properties and soil foraging by whole plants are less clear. Here we investigate how variation in the penetration ability of distinct root classes and bulk density profiles common to real-world soils interact to affect soil foraging strategies. Methods We utilize the functional–structural plant model ‘OpenSimRoot’ to simulate the growth of maize (Zea mays) root systems with variable penetration ability of axial and lateral roots in soils with (1) uniform bulk density, (2) plow pans and (3) increasing bulk density with depth. We also modify the availability and leaching of nitrate to uncover reciprocal interactions between these factors and the capture of mobile resources. Key Results Soils with plow pans and bulk density gradients affected overall size, distribution and carbon costs of the root system. Soils with high bulk density at depth impeded rooting depth and reduced leaching of nitrate, thereby improving the coincidence of nitrogen and root length. While increasing penetration ability of either axial or lateral root classes produced root systems of comparable net length, improved penetration of axial roots increased allocation of root length in deeper soil, thereby amplifying N acquisition and shoot biomass. Although enhanced penetration ability of both root classes was associated with greater root system carbon costs, the benefit to plant fitness from improved soil exploration and resource capture offset these. Conclusions While lateral roots comprise the bulk of root length, axial roots function as a scaffold determining the distribution of these laterals. In soils with high soil strength and leaching, root systems with enhanced penetration ability of axial roots have greater distribution of root length at depth, thereby improving capture of mobile resources.
Efficacy and safety of acupuncture for patients with pseudomyopia

Abstract Background: Myopia are common health problems that people experience in daily life. Pediatric myopia has become a major international public health concern that has a negative impact on physical, mental health of patients, and quality of life. Currently, there is no cure available. Press needle as an adjuvant therapy is currently undergoing clinical trials in different medical centers. However, no relevant systematic review or meta-analysis has been designed to evaluate the effects of press needle patching on early myopia. There is also a lack of systematic evaluation and analysis of acupoints and thumbtack needle. Methods: We will electronically search Medline, Embase, PubMed, Web of Science, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, Chinese Scientific Journal Database, and Wan-Fang Database from their inception to October 2021. In addition, we will manually retrieve other resources including the reference lists of identified publications, conference articles, and gray literature. The clinical randomized controlled trials or quasi-randomized controlled trials related to press needle for the treatment of early myopia will be included in the study. The language is limited to Chinese and English. Research selection, data extraction, and research quality assessment will be independently completed by 2 researchers. Data were synthesized by using afixed effect model or random effect model depend on the heterogeneity test. The total effective rate was the primary outcomes. RevMan V.5. 3 statistical software will be used for meta-analysis. If it is not appropriate for a meta-analysis, then a descriptive analysis will be conducted. Data synthesis will use the risk ratio and the standardized or weighted average difference of continuous data to represent the results. Results: This study will analyze the clinical effective rate, pesudomyopia outcomes, quality of life, improvement of clinical symptoms of pesudomyopia, and validity of thumbtack needle for patients with pesudomyopia. Conclusion: This systematic review will provide evidence to judge whether thumbtack needle is an effective intervention for patients with early myopia. Systematic review registration: PROSPERO, CRD42021243151.
A protocol for meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Background:Heart failure is a major public health problem. Although there have been significant advances in the management of heart failure, the mortality and morbidity in heart failure patients remain high. Heart failure patients are susceptible to influenza-related complications including acute heart failure exacerbations and secondary infections such as pneumonia, both of which lead to significant morbidity and mortality. An earlier meta-analysis of observational cohort studies reported that influenza vaccination was associated with reduced risk of mortality in heart failure patients. Although there are no published randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on the effect of influenza vaccination on clinical outcomes in heart failure patients, there are several on-going RCTs examining the effect in these patients. We aim to conduct a meta-analysis of RCTs to assess the efficacy and safety of influenza vaccination in heart failure patients. Methods: This meta-analysis will include RCTs examining the effect of influenza vaccination in heart failure patients. Information of studies will be collected from electronic databases. The primary outcome of interest will be cardiovascular death. The secondary outcomes of interest will be all-cause death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, hospitalization for heart failure, and hospitalization for any cause. Discussion: This meta-analysis will evaluate the efficacy and safety of influenza vaccination in heart failure patients, providing evidence to the use of influenza vaccine in these patients. Systematic review registration: INPLASY202210115. Abbreviation: RCTs = randomized controlled trials.
RAB27B inhibits proliferation and promotes apoptosis of leukemic cells via 3-Hydroxy butyrate dehydrogenase 2 (BDH2)

ABSTRACT RAB27B is a member of Ras-like small GTPases that plays a role in endocytosis, exocytosis, and vesicle trafficking. We made an attempt to study the impacts of RAB27B on the proliferation and apoptosis of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells. The silencing of RAB27B was induced by siRNA for the detection of proliferation, cell cycle, and apoptosis, respectively by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK8), flow cytometry, and TUNEL. Related markers were also evaluated by Western blot analysis. The interaction between RAB27B and BDH2 was predicted by bioinformatics analysis and determined by immunoprecipitation. The gain of function of BDH2 was also detected by these functional assays. RAB27B exhibited high levels in AML cells, and RAB27B silencing led to reduced proliferation, increased cell cycle arrest and apoptosis levels. Then, the interaction between RAB27B and BDH2 was confirmed. Moreover, the effects of RAB27B inhibition on the proliferation, cell cycle arrest, and cell apoptosis were abolished after BDH2 overexpression. RAB27B inhibits proliferation and promotes apoptosis of leukemic cells by interacting with BDH2. Targeting RAB27B might be an effective method for the treatment of AML. Graphical Abstract
Effectiveness of adding virtual reality to physiotherapeutic treatment in patients with total hip arthroplasty. A randomized controlled trial

Objective To determine the clinical effectiveness of adding virtual reality via the Nintendo Wii console and its Wii Balance Board to physiotherapy treatment in patients with total hip arthroplasty. Design Randomized controlled trial. Setting Clinical Hospital San Borja Arriaran, Santiago, Chile. Participants A total of 73 patients over 50 years of age with total hip arthroplasty were randomly allocated to two groups. Interventions The control group (n = 37) received 6 weeks of physiotherapy treatment; the intervention group (n = 36) received the same treatment plus virtual reality exercises with the Nintendo Wii console. Outcome measures The two groups were assessed at baseline and after the 6 weeks of treatment. The primary outcome assessed was the function with the WOMAC questionnaire. The secondary outcomes were the Berg Balance Scale, distance covered with the six-minute walk test, and difference in weight load on the lower extremities. Results A total of 73 patients, 37 patients in the control group (20 women; mean age of 70.9 ± 9.16 years) and 36 patients in the intervention group (18 women; mean age of 70.39 ± 9.02 years) were analyzed. At the end of the treatment, the difference between groups for the total WOMAC score was −10.4 points (p = 0.00), 4.7 points (p = 0.00) for the Berg Balance Scale, and 45.2 mt (p = 0.00) for the six-minute walk test All differences were in favor of the intervention group. Conclusions In the short term, the addition of virtual reality via the Nintendo Wii and its Wii Balance Board platform showed statistically significant differences in the function of patients with total hip replacement, but these differences were not minimally clinically important. Trial registration: This research was registered in the Clinical Trials Registry of Australia and New Zealand, with reference ACTRN12618001252202.
Cerebral Hemodynamic Reserve Abnormalities Detected Via Transcranial Doppler Ultrasound in Recovered COVID-19 Patients.

INTRODUCTION SARS-CoV-2 infection can produce endothelial injury and microvascular damage, one cause of the multiorgan failure associated with COVID-19. Cerebrovascular endothelial damage increases the risk of stroke in COVID-19 patients, which makes prompt diagnosis important. Endothelial dysfunction can be evaluated by using transcranial Doppler ultrasound to study cerebral hemodynamic reserve, but there are few of these studies in patients with COVID-19, and the technique is not included in COVID-19 action and follow-up guidelines nationally or internationally. OBJECTIVE Estimate baseline cerebral hemodynamic patterns, cerebral hemodynamic reserve, and breath-holding index in recovered COVID-19 patients. METHOD We conducted an exploratory study in 51 people; 27 men and 24 women 20-78 years of age, divided into two groups. One group comprised 25 recovered COVID-19 patients, following clinical and epidemiological discharge, who suffered differing degrees of disease severity, and who had no neurological symptoms or disease at the time they were incorporated into the study. The second group comprised 26 people who had not been diagnosed with COVID-19 and who tested negative by RT-PCR at the time of study enrollment. Recovered patients were further divided into two groups: those who had been asymptomatic or had mild disease, and those who had severe or critical disease. We performed transcranial Doppler ultrasounds to obtain baseline and post-apnea tests of cerebral hemodynamic patterns to evaluate cerebral hemodynamic reserve and breath-holding indices. We characterized the recovered patient group and the control group through simple descriptive statistics (means and standard deviations). RESULTS There were no measurable differences in baseline cerebral hemodynamics between the groups. However, cerebral hemodynamic reserve and breath-holding index were lower in those who had COVID-19 than among control participants (19.9% vs. 36.8% and 0.7 vs. 1.2 respectively). These variables were similar for patients who had asymptomatic or mild disease (19.9% vs.19.8%) and for those who had severe or critical disease (0.7 vs. 0.7). CONCLUSIONS Patients recovered from SARS-CoV-2 infection showed decreased cerebral hemodynamic reserve and breath-holding index regardless of the disease's clinical severity or presence of neurological symptoms. These abnormalities may be associated with endothelial damage caused by COVID-19. It would be useful to include transcranial Doppler ultrasound in evaluation and follow-up protocols for patients with COVID-19.
Use of advance directives to promote supported decision-making in mental health care: Implications of international trends for reform in New Zealand

Advance directives are advocated, in many jurisdictions, as a way to promote supported decision-making for people who use mental health services and to promote countries’ compliance with their obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities promotes the use of tools to further personal autonomy which would include integrating the use of advance directives into mental health law, to clarify the effect (or force) an advance directive carries when its maker comes under the relevant mental health legislation. In addition, securing the active use of advance directives requires adoption of certain supportive practices and policies within health services. Here, we discuss a number of approaches taken to advance directives in revised mental health legislation, and the associated practices we think are required.
Effects of computer-based cognitive rehabilitation on working memory in patients with acquired brain injury in the chronic phase, a pilot-study

ABSTRACT Background Working memory impairment is common in patients in the chronic phase after acquired brain injury (ABI), and there is a need to develop efficacious rehabilitation methods. This trial explored the effects of two different computer-based cognitive rehabilitation (CBCR) programmes on working memory in the chronic phase after ABI, as well as the role of continuous support versus no support from a health professional on the efficacy of CBCR. Methods A total of 72 patients were randomized into four different groups for a 12-week intervention: Two groups trained with the CBCR-programmes ‘Cogmed’ and ‘Brain+ Health,’ respectively, and one group completed active-control training. All three groups received continuous support from a health professional. The last group trained with the CBCR programme ‘Brain+ Health’ but received no support. Before and after the intervention, patients were tested with a neuropsychological battery of working memory, attention and executive functions. Results Both CBCR-programmes improved working memory when administered with support from a health professional. The programmes improved different sub-components of working memory, possibly because of their individual content and design. None of the CBCR-programmes were more efficacious than sham-training with support. CBCR without support did not improve working memory in patients.
Brown adipose tissue activation is not related to hypermetabolism in emphysematous chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients

Brown adipose tissue (BAT) has been primarily researched as a potential target for mitigating obesity. However, the physiological significance of BAT in relation to cachexia remains poorly understood. The objective of this study was to investigate the putative contribution of BAT on different components of energy metabolism in emphysematous chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients.
Using Virtual Reality to Induce and Assess Objective Correlates of Nicotine Craving: Paradigm Development Study

Background Craving is a clinically important phenotype for the development and maintenance of nicotine addiction. Virtual reality (VR) paradigms are successful in eliciting cue-induced subjective craving and may even elicit stronger craving than traditional picture-cue methods. However, few studies have leveraged the advances of this technology to improve the assessment of craving. Objective This report details the development of a novel, translatable VR paradigm designed to both elicit nicotine craving and assess multiple eye-related characteristics as potential objective correlates of craving. Methods A VR paradigm was developed, which includes three Active scenes with nicotine and tobacco product (NTP) cues present, and three Neutral scenes devoid of NTP cues. A pilot sample (N=31) of NTP users underwent the paradigm and completed subjective measures of nicotine craving, sense of presence in the VR paradigm, and VR-related sickness. Eye-gaze fixation time (“attentional bias”) and pupil diameter toward Active versus Neutral cues, as well as spontaneous blink rate during the Active and Neutral scenes, were recorded. Results The NTP Cue VR paradigm was found to elicit a moderate sense of presence (mean Igroup Presence Questionnaire score 60.05, SD 9.66) and low VR-related sickness (mean Virtual Reality Sickness Questionnaire score 16.25, SD 13.94). Scene-specific effects on attentional bias and pupil diameter were observed, with two of the three Active scenes eliciting greater NTP versus control cue attentional bias and pupil diameter (Cohen d=0.30-0.92). The spontaneous blink rate metrics did not differ across Active and Neutral scenes. Conclusions This report outlines the development of the NTP Cue VR paradigm. Our results support the potential of this paradigm as an effective laboratory-based cue-exposure task and provide early evidence of the utility of attentional bias and pupillometry, as measured during VR, as useful markers for nicotine addiction.
Structural effects of m6A modification of the Xist A-repeat AUCG tetraloop and its recognition by YTHDC1

Abstract The A-repeat region of the lncRNA Xist is critical for X inactivation and harbors several N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modifications. How the m6A modification affects the conformation of the conserved AUCG tetraloop hairpin of the A-repeats and how it can be recognized by the YTHDC1 reader protein is unknown. Here, we report the NMR solution structure of the (m6A)UCG hairpin, which reveals that the m6A base extends 5′ stacking of the A-form helical stem, resembling the unmethylated AUCG tetraloop. A crystal structure of YTHDC1 bound to the (m6A)UCG tetraloop shows that the (m6A)UC nucleotides are recognized by the YTH domain of YTHDC1 in a single-stranded conformation. The m6A base inserts into the aromatic cage and the U and C bases interact with a flanking charged surface region, resembling the recognition of single-stranded m6A RNA ligands. Notably, NMR and fluorescence quenching experiments show that the binding requires local unfolding of the upper stem region of the (m6A)UCG hairpin. Our data show that m6A can be readily accommodated in hairpin loop regions, but recognition by YTH readers requires local unfolding of flanking stem regions. This suggests how m6A modifications may regulate lncRNA function by modulating RNA structure.
The Role of Sleep-Disordered Breathing Symptoms in Neurocognitive Function Among Youth With Sickle Cell Disease

ABSTRACT Objective: To examine associations between sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) and executive/attentional function in pediatric sickle cell disease (SCD). Methods: Sixty youth with SCD ages 8–18 years and caregivers completed the Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire (PSQ), Delis Kaplan Executive Function System Trail Making Test (DKEFS TMT), Psychomotor Vigilance Test (PVT), and the Behavior Rating Inventory Of Executive Function, Second Edition (BRIEF-2) Parent Report. Results: The PSQ significantly predicted the BRIEF-2 Parent Report, F(1, 58) = 44.64, p < . 001, R2 = 0.44, f2 = 0.77. Conclusions: Sleep-disordered breathing symptoms may predict informant-rated executive dysfunction in pediatric SCD, but not performance-based executive function.
The counterbalancing effects of energy expenditure on body weight regulation: Orexigenic versus energy‐consuming mechanisms

Weight change is a dynamic function of whole‐body energy balance resulting from the interplay between energy intake and energy expenditure (EE). Recent reports have provided evidence for the existence of a causal effect of EE on energy intake, suggesting that increased EE may drive overeating, thereby promoting future weight gain. This study investigated the relationships between ad libitum energy intake and 24‐hour EE (24‐h EE) in sedentary conditions versus long‐term, free‐living weight change using a mediation analysis framework.
The influence of computer-aided polyp detection systems on reaction time for polyp detection and eye gaze

Background Multiple computer-aided systems for polyp detection (CADe) have been introduced into clinical practice, with an unclear effect on examiner behavior. This study aimed to measure the influence of a CADe system on reaction time, mucosa misinterpretation, and changes in visual gaze pattern. Methods Participants with variable levels of colonoscopy experience viewed video sequences (n = 29) while eye movement was tracked. Using a crossover design, videos were presented in two assessments, with and without CADe support. Reaction time for polyp detection and eye-tracking metrics were evaluated. Results 21 participants performed 1218 experiments. CADe was significantly faster in detecting polyps compared with participants (median 1.16 seconds [99 %CI 0.40–3.43] vs. 2.97 seconds [99 %CI 2.53–3.77], respectively). However, the reaction time of participants when using CADe (median 2.90 seconds [99 %CI 2.55–3.38]) was similar to that without CADe. CADe increased misinterpretation of normal mucosa and reduced the eye travel distance. Conclusions Results confirm that CADe systems detect polyps faster than humans. However, use of CADe did not improve human reaction times. It increased misinterpretation of normal mucosa and decreased the eye travel distance. Possible consequences of these findings might be prolonged examination time and deskilling.