Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Virtual volunteers: the importance of restructuring medical volunteering during the COVID-19 pandemic

Healthcare systems have postponed medical volunteering services in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, much of the aid provided by these volunteers is crucial to patient care and hospital functioning in the American healthcare system. The adoption of online video conferencing platforms in healthcare—telehealth—offers a novel solution for volunteering during this pandemic. Virtual volunteering can alleviate pressures on medical workers, enhance patient experiences, reduce the risk of viral infection and provide a sense of normalcy for patients and families. Although further study is required, this should be an avenue considered by health systems.
MULTILOCUS SPECIES DELIMITATION AND SPECIES TREE INFERENCE WITHIN THE WESTERN RATTLESNAKE (CROTALUS VIRIDIS) SPECIES COMPLEX

OF THE THESIS Multilocus Species Delimitation and Species Tree Inference Within the Western Rattlesnake (Crotalus viridis) Species Complex by Julianne R. Goldenberg Master of Science in Biology San Diego State University, 2013 The recent renaissance in the development of multilocus coalescent-based species tree inference methods has transformed the study of systematics; however, coalescent-based methods require a priori knowledge of species limits. A variety of methods of multilocus species delimitation are now available which provide potentially objective approaches to assign individuals to putative species; however, these methods may require knowledge of the species tree. This dichotomy illustrates the necessity of studying species delimitation and species tree inference in concert. Here I demonstrate a method of simultaneous multilocus coalescent-based species delimitation and species tree inference that does not require prior assumption of species limits or the species tree. This method uses the Bayes factor to compare the fit of competing hypotheses of species delimitation to the data, and can be used to compare non-nested hypotheses. The multilocus Bayesian species tree is inferred under each competing hypothesis while the fit of the hypothesis to the data is quantified using marginal likelihood estimation. Marginal likelihood scores (as estimated using path sampling, stepping stone, and the smoothed harmonic mean estimator) are then compared using the Bayes factor. Here I apply this method to the Western Rattlesnake (Crotalus viridis) species complex, a group for which the species limits are contentious and the species tree is unknown. I collected DNA sequence data for six loci (five nuclear introns and one mitochondrial coding gene) and 63 ingroup individuals. Hypotheses of species limits were generated using (1) historical subspecific designations and (2) clades on a guide mitochondrial gene tree that were iteratively clustered into increasingly inclusive groupings. For each hypothesis, the species tree and marginal likelihood were estimated (under three competing marginal likelihood estimators) using *BEAST. Resulting marginal likelihood scores were compared to one another using the Bayes factor. BPP was also used to delimit species within the C. viridis complex for comparison. Contrary to currently recognized taxonomy, I recovered very strong support using both the Bayes factor method and BPP that the C. viridis complex contains six independently evolving species, including cryptic species within the Northern Pacific Rattlesnake (currently C. o. oreganus). I applied this resulting taxonomy to infer the first dated multilocus species tree of the C. viridis complex, which is topologically discordant from the mitochondrial gene tree. This study successfully demonstrated a novel method of Bayesian multilocus species delimitation. The results presented here warrant revision of the taxonomy within the C. viridis complex and dramatically revise our understanding of the evolutionary history of this group.
Racial Differences in Respite Use among Black and White Caregivers for People Living with Dementia

Objectives: To examine racial differences in respite utilization among a nationally representative sample of caregivers for persons living with dementia (PLwD). A secondary aim identified factors associated with respite utilization. Methods: Using data from the 2015 National Health and Aging Trends Study and National Study of Caregiving, we conducted binary logistic regression to examine racial difference in respite use among Black and white caregivers (n = 750). Results: 22% of the sample used respite for PLwD. Black dementia caregivers were 69% less likely (odds ratio: .31, p = .001) to use respite compared to white caregivers. Other factors associated with utilization included education, receiving help with caregiving, and providing care for more self-care/mobility tasks or to a Medicaid-enrollee. Discussion: Findings suggest that Black dementia caregivers may be at risk for less frequent use of respite and highlight the need to identify factors that promote respite use.
Web-Based Interactive Tool to Identify Facilities at Risk of Receiving Patients with Multidrug-Resistant Organisms

To identify facilities at risk of receiving patients colonized or infected with multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs), we developed an interactive web-based interface for visualization of patient-sharing networks among healthcare facilities in Tennessee, USA. Using hospital discharge data and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ claims and Minimum Data Set, we constructed networks among hospitals and skilled nursing facilities. Networks included direct and indirect transfers, which accounted for <365 days in the community outside of facility admissions. Authorized users can visualize a facility of interest and tailor visualizations by year, network dataset, length of time in the community, and minimum number of transfers. The interface visualizes the facility of interest with its connected facilities that receive or send patients, the number of interfacility transfers, and facilities at risk of receiving transfers from the facility of interest. This tool will help other health departments enhance their MDRO outbreak responses.
A dam big problem.

Countries and mining companies around the world are confronting a crisis over what to do with growing lakes of toxic mud generated by mines. Often stored behind earthen dams that can rise nearly 300 meters tall, dam failures in recent years have killed more than 100 people, buried ecosystems, and sent local communities, scientists, regulators, miners, and environmentalists searching for solutions. The problem is daunting: As many as 21,000 tailings dams dot the globe, and they are growing larger as miners excavate more waste rock for each kilogram of valuable metals. Engineers and other researchers are tackling the problem through a mixture of new technology and more rigorous procedures for designing and building the dams.
Laminar Subnetworks of Response Suppression in Macaque Primary Visual Cortex

Cortical inhibition plays an important role in information processing in the brain. However, the mechanisms by which inhibition and excitation are coordinated to generate functions in the six layers of the cortex remain unclear. Here, we measured laminar-specific responses to stimulus orientations in primary visual cortex (V1) of awake monkeys (male, Macaca mulatta). We distinguished inhibitory effects (suppression) from excitation, by taking advantage of the separability of excitation and inhibition in the orientation and time domains. We found two distinct types of suppression governing different layers. Fast suppression (FS) was strongest in input layers (4C and 6), and slow suppression (SS) was 3 times stronger in output layers (2/3 and 5). Interestingly, the two types of suppression were correlated with different functional properties measured with drifting gratings. FS was primarily correlated with orientation selectivity in input layers (r = −0.65, p < 10−9), whereas SS was primarily correlated with surround suppression in output layers (r = 0.61, p < 10−4). The earliest SS in layer 1 indicates the origin of cortical feedback for SS, in contrast to the feedforward/recurrent origin of FS. Our results reveal two V1 laminar subnetworks with different response suppression that may provide a general framework for laminar processing in other sensory cortices. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT This study sought to understand inhibitory effects (suppression) and their relationships with functional properties in the six different layers of the cortex. We found that the diversity of neural responses across layers in primary visual cortex (V1) could be fully explained by one excitatory and two suppressive components (fast and slow suppression). The distinct laminar distributions, origins, and functional roles of the two types of suppression provided a simplified representation of the differences between two V1 subnetworks (input network and output network). These results not only help to elucidate computational principles in macaque V1, but also provide a framework for general computation of cortical laminae in other sensory cortices.
BI-3406, a potent and selective SOS1::KRAS interaction inhibitor, is effective in KRAS-driven cancers through combined MEK inhibition.

KRAS is the most frequently mutated driver of pancreatic, colorectal, and non-small cell lung cancers. Direct KRAS blockade has proven challenging and inhibition of a key downstream effector pathway, the RAF-MEK-ERK cascade, has shown limited success due to activation of feedback networks that keep the pathway in check. We hypothesized that inhibiting SOS1, a KRAS activator and important feedback node, represents an effective approach to treat KRAS-driven cancers. We report the discovery of a highly potent, selective and orally bioavailable small-molecule SOS1 inhibitor, BI-3406, that binds to the catalytic domain of SOS1 thereby preventing the interaction with KRAS. BI-3406 reduces formation of GTP-loaded RAS and limits cellular proliferation of a broad range of KRAS-driven cancers. Importantly, BI-3406 attenuates feedback reactivation induced by MEK inhibitors and thereby enhances sensitivity of KRAS-dependent cancers to MEK inhibition. Combined SOS1 and MEK inhibition represents a novel and effective therapeutic concept to address KRAS-driven tumors.
A supergene-linked estrogen receptor drives alternative phenotypes in a polymorphic songbird

Significance The white-throated sparrow, a common North American songbird, is a valuable model in behavioral genetics because of a chromosomal rearrangement that segregates with a behavioral phenotype. Birds with the rearrangement are more aggressive than those without it. Here we show that genetic differentiation of a single gene inside the rearrangement changes how that gene is regulated, driving higher levels of expression in birds with the aggressive phenotype and altering behavior. By experimentally reducing the expression of this one gene, we were able to change the phenotype of the more aggressive birds to the less aggressive phenotype. These results contribute to a greater understanding of how social behaviors can be encoded in the genome and how they evolve. Behavioral evolution relies on genetic changes, yet few behaviors can be traced to specific genetic sequences in vertebrates. Here we provide experimental evidence showing that differentiation of a single gene has contributed to the evolution of divergent behavioral phenotypes in the white-throated sparrow, a common backyard songbird. In this species, a series of chromosomal inversions has formed a supergene that segregates with an aggressive phenotype. The supergene has captured ESR1, the gene that encodes estrogen receptor α (ERα); as a result, this gene is accumulating changes that now distinguish the supergene allele from the standard allele. Our results show that in birds of the more aggressive phenotype, ERα knockdown caused a phenotypic change to that of the less aggressive phenotype. We next showed that in a free-living population, aggression is predicted by allelic imbalance favoring the supergene allele. Finally, we identified cis-regulatory features, both genetic and epigenetic, that explain the allelic imbalance. This work provides a rare illustration of how genotypic divergence has led to behavioral phenotypic divergence in a vertebrate.
Factors associated with moderate wasting among marginalized 6 to 23-month aged children in Bangladesh: Findings of the Suchana program baseline survey data

Suchana—a large-scale, 7-year nutrition program that started in 2015—is being implemented in 250,000 households in the marginalized segment in north-east Bangladesh, with the aim of improving childhood nutrition status. Untreated childhood moderate wasting may develop to severe wasting, which is associated with a 10-fold higher risk of mortality compared to children of normal weight relative to height/length. Identifying the diverse, age-specific risk factors for moderate wasting may help such programs to formulate tailored interventions to prevent and treat childhood malnutrition in rural communities. The objective of this study was to identify the age-specific factors associated with moderate wasting among 6‒23-month-old children in beneficiary households. Cross-sectional data on 4,400 children was collected through systematic sampling between November 2016 and February 2017 using the Suchana beneficiary list. In total, 8.1% of 6‒11 month-olds and 10.3% of 12‒23 month-olds suffered moderate wasting; 12‒23-month-olds had a 1.3-fold higher risk of moderate wasting than 6‒11-month-olds. Our results of logistic regression models suggest that larger household size, higher maternal body mass index (BMI), and maternal food consumption status more than usual during the recent pregnancy were associated with a reduced risk of moderate wasting among 6‒11-month-olds. Higher maternal BMI, normal maternal food consumption status during last pregnancy, being female and maternal knowledge on diarrheal management, were associated with a reduced risk of moderate wasting among 12‒23-month-olds. In conclusion, beyond maternal BMI and maternal food consumption status during the last pregnancy, the factors associated with moderate wasting among 6‒23-month-olds in the poorest households in Bangladesh are age-specific.
Sleepiness, sleep duration, and human social activity: An investigation into bidirectionality using longitudinal time-use data

Significance We observe that a change from very alert to very sleepy can decrease social contact by approximately 70%. We also reveal moderators of this effect, such as time of day. This finding provides a perspective on, and possible mechanism as to, why sleep disturbances and other causes of sleepiness (such as medicine side effects or shift work), are associated with poorer health outcomes. It is especially urgent to understand the causes of decreased social activity, as rates of social isolation and loneliness are reported to be rising, as are rates of sleep disturbance. The results provide directions for future research, for example regarding whether interventions to alleviate sleepiness can be an effective way to improve both short- and long-term well-being. Daytime sleepiness impairs cognitive ability, but recent evidence suggests it is also an important driver of human motivation and behavior. We aimed to investigate the relationship between sleepiness and a behavior strongly associated with better health: social activity. We additionally aimed to investigate whether a key driver of sleepiness, sleep duration, had a similar relationship with social activity. For these questions, we considered bidirectionality, time of day, and differences between workdays and days off. Over 3 wk, 641 working adults logged their behavior every 30 min, completed a sleepiness scale every 3 h, and filled a sleep diary every morning (rendering >292,000 activity and >70,000 sleepiness datapoints). Using generalized additive mixed-effect models, we analyzed potential nonlinear relationships between sleepiness/sleep duration and social activity. Greater sleepiness predicted a substantial decrease in the probability of social activity (odds ratio 95% CI = 0.34 to 0.35 for days off), as well as a decreased duration of such activity when it did occur. These associations appear especially robust on days off and in the evenings. Social duration moderated the typical time-of-day pattern of sleepiness, with, for example, extended evening socializing associated with lower sleepiness. Sleep duration did not robustly predict next-day social activity. However, extensive social activity (>5 h) predicted up to 30 min shorter subsequent sleep duration. These results indicate that sleepiness is a strong predictor of voluntary decreases in social contact. It is possible that bouts of sleepiness lead to social withdrawal and loneliness, both risk factors for mental and physical ill health.
Cognitive performance is associated with worse prognosis in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction

Heart failure (HF) is a complex clinical syndrome with multiple comorbidities. Cognitive impairment, stress, anxiety, depression, and lower quality of life are prevalent in HF. Herein, we explore the interplay between these parameters and study their value to predict major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) and health‐related quality of life (HrQoL) in patients with HF with reduced ejection fraction using guideline recommended assessment tools.
Pharmaceutical Isothermal Calorimetry

© 2007 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. Pharmaceutical Isothermal Calorimetry discusses the application of isothermal calorimetric techniques to challenges encountered during the rational design and development of novel drugs and drug delivery systems. Providing a comprehensive review of recent research and trends, this book contains an expert discussion of research and applications to pharmaceutical characterization and formulation.
Yeast Interactions with Anthocyanins during Red Wine Fermentation

The capacity of yeast to modify anthocyanin concentration during red wine fermentation was studied with the objective of classifying yeast strains according to their capacity for color removal during vinification. A model red grape juice medium was used to better understand yeast-anthocyanin interactions. An anthocyanin extract of Vitis vinifera cv. Tannat was prepared from grape skins and diluted in a white must in order to obtain a red grape juice without solids. Anthocyanin removal was confirmed to be higher for compounds with higher polarity. Acylated anthocyanins (acetyl and p-coumaryl compounds) were differentially removed, and the percentage of removal for each compound was determined. Results showed no correlation between color intensity and total anthocyanin concentration after fermentation, possibly because of the presence of anthocyanin derivatives formed during the process. HPLC-MS analysis allowed identification of anthocyanin derivatives, while the quantification of several derivatives was performed by HPLC-DAD. The sum of these derivatives showed a direct correlation with the color intensity obtained with each strain, thus explaining the color variability observed.
Revision of the neotropical family Inbiomyiidae (Diptera, Schizophora)

The Central and South American family Inbiomyiidae with its single genus Inbiomyia Buck is revised, including descriptions of 10 new species: I. acmophallus Buck sp. nov. (Colombia), I. anemosyris Buck sp. nov. (Colombia, Peru), I. matamata Buck sp. nov. (Venezuela, Colombia), I. pterygion Buck sp. nov. (Bolivia), I. regina Buck sp. nov. (French Guiana), I. exul Buck sp. nov. (Costa Rica, Ecuador), I. empheres Buck sp. nov. (Ecuador), I. anodonta Buck sp. nov. (Colombia), I. scoliostylus Buck sp. nov. (Costa Rica), and I. zeugodonta Buck sp. nov. (Colombia, French Guiana). Three species known from single females are briefly diagnosed but not named. A key to the 11 described species of Inbiomyia is provided. The species-level phylogenetic relationships are analyzed on the basis of a matrix of 35 morphological characters. Four species groups are recognized: the I. anemosyris group (I. acmophallus, I. regina, I. pterygion, I. matamata, I. anemosyris), the I. exul group (I. exul, Inbiomyia species 1), the I. mcalpineorum group (I. empheres, I. mcalpineorum, Inbiomyia species 2), and the I. scoliostylus group (I. anodonta, I. scoliostylus, I. zeugodonta, Inbiomyia species 3).
Development Of A Viral Vaccine Vector Expressing A P. Falciparum Erythrocyte Membrane Protein Domain To Target Severe Malaria

There are an estimated 300-500 million cases of malaria every year, resulting in approximately 2 million deaths. Malaria mortality occurs primarily in children under the age of five, and is resultant from the development of severe malaria. Attempts to control P. falciparum malaria face rapidly escalating levels of resistance on two fronts: the parasite to anti-malarial drugs, and the mosquito vector to insecticides. Despite current prevention efforts, the global incidence of malaria continues to rise and there is a clear and urgent need for a malaria vaccine. Malaria vaccine efforts thus far have been largely unsuccessful in eliciting robust and long-lasting immunity. While adults living in malaria endemic regions have not been shown to naturally develop protective immunity to uncomplicated malaria, they do appear to develop protective immunity to severe malaria by around the age of five, raising the possibility that a vaccine specifically targeting severe malaria may be a more attainable goal of malaria vaccine efforts in the immediate future. There is mounting evidence that the pathogenesis of severe malaria is directly related to cytoadhesion and rosetting of parasitized red blood cells. The P. falciparum protein PfEMP1, which is expressed on the surface of parasitized red blood cells, appears to have a direct role in mediating cytoadhesion and rosetting. The DBL1 α domain of PfEMP1 specifically been implicated in these interactions, and is also one of the only regions of PfEMP1 that is highly conserved, making it a promising target antigen for malaria vaccine development. Here we show that immunization with recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus vaccine vectors expressing DBL1 α induce immune responses that are able to disrupt rosetting of parasitized RBC. This response was comparable with that seen in adults from malaria endemic regions.
Bio-efficacy of indoxacarb 15 EC against pod borer, Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner) hardwick infesting pigeonpea.

Emulsifiable concentrate of indoxacarb (KN 128 15 EC) was evaluated at different doses for its field bio-efficacy in comparison with endosulfan 0.07 per cent (conventional insecticide) against Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner) hardwick on pigeonpea during 2003-04 and 2004-05. Different doses of indoxacarb 15 EC (KN 128) found to be more or less dose related. However, the indoxacarb 15 EC @ 50 g.a. i/ha was most effective for the control of pod borer followed by 60 g.a. i/ha. These doses also recorded significant higher grain yield during both the year (1753 and 1652 kg/ha), respectively.