Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Modulation of the primary auditory thalamus when recognising speech in noise

Recognising speech in background noise is a strenuous daily activity, yet most humans can master it. A mechanistic explanation of how the human brain deals with such sensory uncertainty is the Bayesian Brain Hypothesis. In this view, the brain uses a dynamic generative model to simulate the most likely trajectory of the speech signal. Such simulation account can explain why there is a task-dependent modulation of sensory pathway structures (i.e., the sensory thalami) for recognition tasks that require tracking of fast-varying stimulus properties (i.e., speech) in contrast to relatively constant stimulus properties (e.g., speaker identity) despite the same stimulus input. Here we test the specific hypothesis that this task-dependent modulation for speech recognition increases in parallel with the sensory uncertainty in the speech signal. In accordance with this hypothesis, we show—by using ultra-high-resolution functional magnetic resonance imaging in human participants—that the task-dependent modulation of the left primary sensory thalamus (ventral medial geniculate body, vMGB) for speech is particularly strong when recognizing speech in noisy listening conditions in contrast to situations where the speech signal is clear. Exploratory analyses showed that this finding was specific to the left vMGB; it was not present in the midbrain structure of the auditory pathway (left inferior colliculus, IC). The results imply that speech in noise recognition is supported by modifications at the level of the subcortical sensory pathway providing driving input to the auditory cortex.
Morphological and biometric characteristics of the pectinate muscles and the taenia sagittalis of the right atrium in the human heart

The crista terminalis (CT) is a well-defined fibro-muscular crest formed by the union of the venous sinus and the primitive right auricle, which extends along the posterolateral face of the right atrial wall. The pectinate muscles (PM) are muscular crests which extend anterolaterally from the CT to the auricle and may present in a series of variable shapes and sizes. The biggest and most promi-nent PM is called the taenia sagittalis (TS). PM with highly trabeculated muscle fibres predispose patients to the occurrence of arrhythmias. The pre-sent article is a descriptive study of the anatomical and biometric characteristics of the right atrium. We studied 30 hearts of adult Chilean individuals, aged between 18 and 84 years, of both sexes, with no apparent cardiac pathology, belonging to the Normal Human Anatomy Unit of the Basic Scienc-es Department of Universidad de La Frontera. The samples were washed with distilled water and im-mediately placed in formalin at 10%. The atria were first separated from the ventricles, then opened perpendicularly through the intercaval zone to give access to the interior. The distribution of pectinate muscles found, according to the clas-sification of Loukas et al. (2008) and Siddiqui et al. (2013), was as follows: Type I, 20%; Type II, 23.3%; Type III, 23.3%; Type IV, 6.7%; Type V, 6.7%; Type VI, 20%. TS was found to be presentin 46.6% of the hearts examined, two or more TS in 29.8% and no TS in 23.6%. The length of the pectinate muscles is variable; the shortest are lo-cated on the medial wall. Six types of pectinate muscle patterns were observed.
Therapeutic efficacy of an immune stimulatory gene therapy strategy in a mouse model of high grade brainstem glioma

Purpose Diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) bears a dismal prognosis. A genetically engineered brainstem glioma model harboring the recurrent DIPG mutation, ACVR1-G328V (mACVR1), was developed for testing an immune-stimulatory gene therapy. Experimental Design We utilized the Sleeping Beauty transposase system to generate an endogenous mouse model of mACVR1 brainstem glioma. Histology was used to characterize and validate the model. We performed RNAseq analysis on neurospheres (NS) harboring mACVR1. mACVR1 NS were implanted into the pons of immune competent mice to test the therapeutic efficacy and toxicity of immune stimulatory gene therapy using adenoviruses expressing thymidine kinase (TK) and fms-like tyrosine kinase 3 ligand (Flt3L). mACVR1 NS expressing the surrogate tumor antigen ovalbumin were generated to investigate if TK/Flt3L treatment induces the recruitment of tumor-antigen specific T cells. Results Histological analysis of mACVR1 tumors indicates that they are localized in the brainstem and have increased downstream signaling of bone morphogenetic pathway as demonstrated by increased phospho-smad1/5 and Id1 levels. Transcriptome analysis of mACVR1 NS identified an increase in the transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) signaling pathway and the regulation of cell differentiation. Adenoviral delivery of TK/Flt3L in mice bearing brainstem gliomas resulted in anti-tumor immunity, recruitment of anti-tumor specific T cells and increased median survival. Conclusions This study provides insights into the phenotype and function of the tumor immune microenvironment in a mouse model of brainstem glioma harboring mACVR1. Immune stimulatory gene therapy targeting the hosts’ anti-tumor immune response inhibits tumor progression and increases median survival of mice bearing mACVR1 tumors. Translational Relevance The therapeutic efficacy of anti-DIPG immune responses is limited due to a low number of immune cells in the tumor microenvironment. We have uncovered a novel treatment strategy that utilizes adenoviral delivery of therapeutic genes, thymidine kinase (TK) and fms tyrosine kinase 3 ligand (Flt3L) into the tumor, eliciting a reprograming of the host’s own immune system to recognize and kill tumor cells. We demonstrate that TK/Flt3L therapy generates an effective anti-tumor response and can be safely delivered into the brainstem. This treatment approach could provide a novel translational approach towards potentiating an anti-DIPG immune response to overcome the current limitations in the treatment of patients with DIPG.
New biogeographical makeup for colonisation of the Baja California Peninsula, with the description of a new Onthophagus (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae)

ABSTRACT The dung beetles of the Onthophagus chevrolati species group are preponderantly associated to montane habitats and high plains in the Mexican Transition Zone. Herein, we describe O. bajacalifornianus new species, the first of this species group from the southern Baja California Peninsula, which inhabits xeric shrublands near the sea level from the sandy foothills of the Sierra de la Laguna. The new species corresponds to a new monotypic phyletic lineage among the American Onthophagus. The multiple biogeographical origins of the Baja Californian endemic biota are briefly discussed. The need for recognising two new biogeographical elements is highlighted: the Baja Californian Paleoamerican sub-pattern (Miocenic Holarctic affinities) and the Neotropical Baja Californian pattern (Miocenic Neotropical affinities). http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:7840ECCA-4CCC-4DB1-A30D-560FEE84AABF
Spatial heterogeneity of an ecologically relevant environment accelerates diversification and adaptation

Spatial heterogeneity is a key driver for the evolution of resource specialists and has been shown to both promote and constrain the rate of adaptation. However, direct empirical support for these evolutionary consequences of spatial heterogeneity comes from simplified laboratory environments. Here we address how spatial structure, through its effect on resource heterogeneity, alters diversification and adaptive evolution of the soil bacterium Pseudomonas fluorescens in an ecologically relevant context: soil-based compost. Our data show that environmental heterogeneity can both promote phenotypic diversification and accelerate adaptation. These results suggest that environmental disturbance, which can decrease spatial heterogeneity, may limit diversification and adaptation of microbial populations.
Formulation and Evaluation of Hair Shampoo Containing Tea Tree (Melaleuca alternifolia) Oil and Virgin Coconut (Cocos nucifera) Oil

Tea Tree oil (TTO) contains beneficial properties such as antibacterial, antimicrobial, antiviral and anti-fungal. Whereas, the medium chain fatty acids in Virgin Coconut oil (VCO) able to protect hair follicles from heat, restoring hair’s moisture and other damage. This paper describes the physical properties of seven hair shampoo formulations containing differing amount of TTO and VCO. The essential oils (TTO) applied in these formulations were extracted from fresh tea trees using steam distillation method and the VCO was produced from fermentation of fresh mature kernel coconut. Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis was conducted to determine the essential oil components of TTO and fatty acid composition of VCO. The shampoo formulations were subjected to evaluation of several parameters namely organoleptic, pH, viscosity, total solid content, foam stability, and dirt dispersion. The results show that the TTO was composed of terpene hydrocarbons with terpinene-4-ol as the major component; meanwhile lauric acid is major component of VCO. All the shampoo formulations were acid-balanced with pH range between 6.23 – 6.43; total solid contents were between 29.92 – 35.61%; stable foaming with the same foam volume for 4 minutes and no dirt was observed. Rheological test showed formulation with 6% TTO (0% VCO) has pseudo-plastic behavior and relatively lower total solid content which are desirable attributes in hair shampoo. Overall, TTO- and VCO-containing shampoo formulations showed ideal physicochemical properties for hair cleansing and treatments.
Changes in Morphological Characteristics, Regeneration Ability, and Polysaccharide Content in Tetraploid Dendrobium officinale

Dendrobium officinale Kimura et Migo is a famous traditional Chinese medicinal plant. It produces various phytochemicals, particularly polysaccharides, which have nutraceutical and pharmaceutical values. To increase its biomass production and polysaccharide content, our breeding program has generated a series of polyploid cultivars through colchicine treatment of protocorm-like bodies (PLBs). The present study compared two tetraploid cultivars, 201-1-T1 and 201-1-T2, with their diploid parental cultivar, 201-1, in an established in vitro culture system. Tetraploid ‘201-1-T1’ and ‘201-1-T2’ had shorter leaves and shorter and thicker stems and roots, and they produced higher biomass compared with the diploid cultivar. The length and width of stomata significantly increased, but stomatal density decreased in tetraploid cultivars. The PLB induction rates from the stem node explants of the tetraploid cultivars were significantly higher than those of diploid. However, the PLB proliferation of tetraploids was lower than that of the diploid. The mean number of plantlets regenerated from tetraploid PLBs was also lower than that of the diploid after 4 months of culture. Polysaccharide contents in stems, leaves, and roots of 6-month-old tetraploid plantlets were significantly higher than those of diploids. The polysaccharide content in the stem of ‘201-1-T1’ was 12.70%, which was a 2-fold increase compared with the diploid cultivar. Our results showed that chromosome doubling could be a viable way of improving D. officinale in biomass and polysaccharide production.
The effect of progesterone on the anesthetic and analgesic requirements for ovariohysterectomy in the dog

The objective of the current study was to investigate the effect of serum progesterone concentration, either endogenous, during the ovarian cycle and pregnancy, or exogenous, when administered during anestrus, and of its active metabolite allopregnanolone, on anesthetic and analgesic requirements, as well as post-operative pain intensity, for the performance of ovariohysterectomy in dogs. One hundred and fifty healthy female dogs, which were admitted to our clinic for elective ovariohysterectomy, were included in the present study. They were allocated to 6 groups according to the stage of the ovarian cycle and the corresponding serum progesterone co ncentration. The six groups consisted of dogs in anestrus (group A), in anestrus which received intramuscular progesterone injections prior to surgery (group Ap), dogs in diestrus (group D), in diestrus which received subcutaneous aglepristone injections prior to surgery (group Da), in diestrus which received oral trilostane prior to surgery (group Dt) and dogs in pregnancy of duration of 28-42 days (group P). Serum progesterone concentrations were measured in all dogs before and after any hormonal treatment and serum allopregnanolone concentrations were measured in selected dogs from all groups. The required dose of propofol for induction of anesthesia and the required isoflurane concentration for maintenance of anesthesia and the need for intraoperative fentanyl administration and extra postoperative pethidine analgesia were recorded. After statistical analysis, there were no significant differences between groups, regarding their anesthetic or analgesic requirements, that could be attributed to serum progesterone and/or allopregnanolone concentration. However, moderate correlations within certain groups were noted. Serum progesterone or allopregnanolone concentrations do not seem to have an effect on anesthetic and analgesic requirements for ovariohysterectomy in the dog or any potential effect is weak enough to be masked by the action of anesthetic premedication and/or analgesic and/or anaesthetic drugs used.
Psychosocial Support and Girls Infected or Affected by HIV and AIDS Education in Maseno Division, Western Kenya

There wide gender disparities in education in places with high HIV and AIDS prevalence despite the support of many stakeholders. The study was to identify the psychosocial support in the area under study and establish areas of inadequacies’. The objective of the study was to establish the influence psychosocial support on education of girls’ infected or affected by HIV and AIDS. The study was conducted between June 2011 and February
3 Safe timely persone centerd care – step

Our organisation noted a reduction in performance in our patient experience survey Results and realised that our clinical governance framework needed to be refreshed and refocus the organisation towards patient centred care. Projects and work that were planned or already underway were mapped back to the framework, which we called STEP- Safe, Timely Person Effective Person centred care. Existing scorecards, polices and procedures were changed. Position descriptions, onboarding processes and performance appraisals were all rewritten to ensure our staff understood the elements of our new clinical governance framework. STEP was the result of our five clinical governance domains; leadership and culture, consumer participation, risk management, clinical practice and our workforce. Early projects that were initiated under STEP included the development of a ‘Fasting app’ to prevent multiple episodes of fasting following cancellation of surgery by providing visibility on the elective surgery booking list. (Safe/Timely/Risk Management). Other initiatives included a next of kin texting initiative to update families on patient progress (Patient centred/Consumer Partnerships), implementation of multidisciplinary ward governance rounds (Effective/Clinical Practice) and participation in an online patient feedback platform (Patient centred/Consumer Partnerships). Our preexisting Safety Culture Program was ‘rolled in’ to our Clinical Governance Framework (Safe/Leadership and Culture). We believe this approach ‘personalises’ clinical governance and assists front line care givers and consumers in understanding how our organisation monitors and improves the care we provide, ensuring it is safe, timely effective and person centred.
West Florida Shelf pipeline serves as sea turtle benthic habitat based on in situ towed camera observations

The use of marine offshore benthic habitats by sea turtles is poorly characterized due to the difficulty of obtaining in situ data. Understanding benthic habitat use that is important to the species’ reproduction, foraging, and migrations is critical for guiding management decisions. A towed camera-based assessment survey system (C-BASS) equipped with environmental sensors was used to characterize and assess benthic habitats on the West Florida Shelf (WFS) from 2014 to 2018. During these cruises, sea turtles were opportunistically observed during the surveys, and critical in situ data such as spatiotemporal information, species identification, habitat use, behavior, and environmental data were collected and evaluated. In total, 79 sea turtles were observed during 97 transects of approximately 2700 km of seafloor, which was recorded on 380 h of video. Several sea turtle species were spotted within the WFS, including loggerhead Caretta caretta, Kemp’s ridley Lepidochelys kempii, and green turtles Chelonia mydas. These opportunistic sightings revealed an area of high use on the WFS, an anthropogenic structure known as the Gulfstream natural gas pipeline (GSPL). C-BASS survey results suggest that 2 sea turtle species (C. caretta and L. kempii) utilize this artificial structure primarily as a resting area. We emphasize the importance of combining habitat mapping techniques (towed underwater video and multibeam bathymetry/backscatter) with tracking technology to better understand the fine-scale habitat use of sea turtles.
The Impact of Product Attributes, Price, Place, Advertising, and Sales Promotion: A Case of Kids Shampoo in Indonesia

Kids shampoo has been the main driver of growth for the slow-growing baby and child hair care industry in Indonesia. Knowing this phenomenon, Company A launched Product X, a kids shampoo product, in 2016. The purpose of this research is to do a gap analysis between the perception and the expectation of intrinsic and extrinsic product attributes, sales promotion, and place. Prior to the gap analysis, 109 data is collected through online questionnaires and then analyzed using a multiple regression analysis to know the impact of intrinsic and extrinsic product attributes, price, place, advertising, and sales promotion on purchase intention. The result shows that intrinsic and extrinsic product attributes, sales promotion, and place influence purchase intention significantly, while price and advertising are not significant. From the gap analysis, the perceived performance of Product X on four significant elements is lower than the expectation.
Cell‐SELEX, an Effective Way to the Discovery of Biomarkers and Unexpected Molecular Events

Cell‐SELEX can not only generate aptamers for specific cell isolation/detection, diagnosis, and therapy, but also lead to the discovery of biomarkers and unexpected molecular events. However, most cell‐SELEX research is concentrated on aptamer generation and applications. In this progress report, recent research progress with cell‐SELEX in terms of the discovery of biomarkers and unexpected molecular events is highlighted. In particular, the key technical challenges for cell‐SELEX‐based biomarker discovery, namely, the methods for identification and validation of target proteins of aptamers, are discussed in detail. Finally, the prospects of the applications of cell‐SELEX in this field now and in the near future are described. It is expected that this report will attract attention to the benefit of cell‐SELEX and provide a practical reference for biomedical researchers.
Comparison of Polymerase Chain Reaction- Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) and Repetitive Sequence-PCR (REP-PCR) for Differentiation of Riemerella anatipestifer Isolates

Riemerella anatipestifer (RA), is a Gram negative, microaerophillic, cocco-bacilli to short rods sometimes filamentous bacterium which belongs to the family Flavobacteriaceae, named to honour Rimer. It causes severe economic losses which mainly affects domestic ducks, turkey, geese, pheasants, swans, and also reported in pigs (Sandhu and Harry, 1981; Bisgaard, 1982; Chang 1984; Sandhu and Leister, 1991; Loh et al., 1992). This disease is variously known as new duck disease, goose's flu, duck septicaemia, anatipestifer syndrome, riemerellosis, and infectious polyserositis (Chang et al., 2003; Christensen and Bisgaard 2009).
Study of Antimicrobial Sensitivity Pattern of Bovine Mastitis using Various Tea Extracts

The incidence of clinical and subclinical mastitis in cross bred cows is a common problem for coastal and remote areas of Odisha in summer season. Bovine mastitis is an inflammatory condition of mammary gland most often caused by bacterial intramammary infection.The principal pathogens causing mastitis are pathogenic Staphylococcus spp. and Streptococcus spp. (Boonyayatraet al., 2014). It adversely affects milk production and causes widespread economic losses. The subclinical mastitis has been15 -40 times more International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences ISSN: 2319-7706 Volume 8 Number 10 (2019) Journal homepage: http://www.ijcmas. com
A comparison of humans and baboons suggests germline mutation rates do not track cell divisions

In humans, most germline mutations are inherited from the father. This observation is widely interpreted as resulting from the replication errors that accrue during spermatogenesis. If so, the male bias in mutation should be substantially lower in a closely related species with similar rates of spermatogonial stem cell divisions but a shorter mean age of reproduction. To test this hypothesis, we resequenced two 3–4 generation nuclear families (totaling 29 individuals) of olive baboons (Papio anubis), who reproduce at ~10 years of age on average. We inferred sex-specific mutation rates by analyzing the data in parallel with three three-generation human pedigrees (26 individuals). The mutation rate per generation in baboons is 0.55×10−8 per base pair, approximately half that of humans. Strikingly, however, the degree of male mutation bias is approximately 3:1, similar to that of humans; in fact, a similar male bias is seen across mammals that reproduce months, years or decades after birth. These results echo findings in humans that the male bias is stable with parental ages and cast further doubt on the assumption that germline mutations track cell divisions. Our mutation rate estimates for baboons raise a further puzzle in suggesting a divergence time between apes and Old World Monkeys of 67 My, too old to be consistent with the fossil record; reconciling them now requires not only a slowdown of the mutation rate per generation in humans but also in baboons.
Astrobiological context as a strategic tool for the teaching of biology: a perspective from Brazilian curriculum

Astrobiology involves the investigation of the origin, evolution and distribution of life in the universe. In the present study we investigate astrobiological subjects that can be taught in conjunction with the proposed curriculum of biology in Brazilian high schools. In this effort, we seek to identify common ground between astrobiology and biology by analysing the official curricular documentation. In addition to this, we briefly discuss some critical topics reported in the literature. From our results, we suggest that this new scientific field, astrobiology, can be used as an interdisciplinary/multidisciplinary tool for teaching biology, in such a way as to guide educators and facilitate the teaching-learning process.