Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Deceleration of morphological evolution in a cryptic species complex and its link to paleontological stasis

Morphological stasis or the absence of morphological change is a well‐known phenomenon in the paleontological record, yet it is poorly integrated with neontological evidence. Recent evidence suggests that cryptic species complexes may remain morphologically identical due to morphological stasis. Here, we describe a case of long‐term stasis in the Stygocapitella cryptic species complex (Parergodrilidae, Orbiniida, Annelida). Using phylogenetic methods and morphological data, we find that rates of morphological evolution in Stygocapitella are significantly slower than in closely related taxa (Nerillidae, Orbiniidae). Assessment of quantitative and qualitative morphology revealed the presence of four morphotypes with only subtle differences, whereas molecular data supports 10 reproductively isolated clades. Notably, estimates for the time of Stygocapitella species divergence range from ∼275 million years to ∼18 million years, including one case of two morphologically similar species that have diverged about 140 million years ago. These findings provide evidence for morphological deceleration and long‐term morphological stasis in Stygocapitella, and that speciation is not necessarily accompanied by morphological changes. The deceleration of morphological divergence in Stygocapitella can be potentially linked to niche conservatism and tracking, coupled with the fluctuating dynamics of the interstitial environment, or genetic constraints due to progenetic evolution. Finally, we conclude that failing to integrate speciation without morphological evolution in paleontology may bias estimates of rates of speciation and morphological evolution.
Prenatal alcohol exposure alters error detection during simple arithmetic processing: An EEG study.

BACKGROUND Arithmetic is the domain of academic achievement most consistently related to prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE). Error detection, an important aspect of arithmetic processing, can be examined in a mathematical verification task. Electroencephalographic (EEG) studies using such tasks have shown bursts of synchronized theta-band activity in response to errors. We assessed this activity for error detection in adolescents with PAE and typically developing (TD) matched controls. We predicted that the PAE group would show smaller theta bursts during error detection and weaker responses depending on the size of the error discrepancy. METHODS Participants' mothers were recruited during pregnancy and interviewed about their alcohol consumption using a timeline follow-back interview. Participants were followed from infancy and diagnosed for fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) or partial FAS (PFAS) by expert dysmorphologists. EEGs were recorded for 48 adolescents during a verification task, which required differentiation between correct/incorrect solutions to simple equations; incorrect solutions had small or large deviations from correct solutions. RESULTS Performance was good-excellent. The PAE group showed lower accuracy than the TD group: accuracy was inversely related to diagnosis severity. TD and heavily exposed (HE) nonsyndromal groups showed the expected differentiation in theta-burst activity between correct/incorrect equations, but FAS/PFAS groups did not. Degree of impairment in brain response to errors reflected severity of diagnosis: HE group showed the same differentiation between correct/incorrect solutions as TD but failed to differentiate between levels of discrepancy; PFAS showed theta reactions only in response to large error discrepancies; FAS did not respond to small or large discrepancies. CONCLUSIONS Arithmetical error-related theta activity is altered by PAE and can be used to distinguish between exposed and nonexposed individuals and within diagnostic groups, supporting the use of numerical and quantitative processing patterns to derive a neurocognitive profile that could facilitate diagnosis and treatment of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders.
Driving risk assessment using driving behavior data under continuous tunnel environment

Abstract Objective: Driving behavior is the key feature for determining the nature of traffic stream qualities and reflecting the risk of operating environments. However, evaluating the driving risk accurately and practically in continuous tunnels (tunnels with a space more than 250 m and less than 1000 m) still faces severe challenges due to the complex driving conditions. The objective of this study is to predict the driving risk indicators and determine different risk levels. Methods: The naturalistic driving system equipped with a road environment and driving behavior data acquisition system combined with the fixed-point test method was used for data collection in 130 tunnels on four highways. A traditional AASHTO braking model and convex hull algorithm were adopted to predict the critical safety speed and the critical time headway of each risk feature point in tunnels. According to the risk constraints under free-flow, car-following and lane-changing conditions, the average traffic flow risk index (TFRI) representing six risk levels and the safety threshold of the corresponding risk indicators were determined. Results: The findings of this study revealed that the critical safety speed at nighttime is slower than in other daytime conditions in continuous tunnels. The time headway slightly changes under 90 km/h. As the speed continues to increase, speed has a significant influence on the critical time headway. The only reliable interaction involved the different adverse weather conditions on the mean critical safety speed in the continuous tunnels (short plus long) (F = 9.730, p＜0.05) and single long tunnels (F = 12.365, p＜0.05). Conclusions: It can be concluded that driving behaviors significantly vary in different tunnel risk feature points and the combined effect of high speed and luminance variation may result in high driving risk. The performance validation indicted that the risk assessment level determined by the proposed approach is consistent with the real safety situations. The study provides an effective and generally acceptable method for identifying driving risk criteria that can also be applied for traffic management and safety countermeasures with a view to possible implementation in continuous tunnels.
Pathways to conspiracy: The social and linguistic precursors of involvement in Reddit’s conspiracy theory forum

Many individuals who engage with conspiracy theories come to do so through a combination of individual and social factors. The interaction between these factors is challenging to study using traditional experimental designs. Reddit.com is a large connected set of online discussion forums, including one (r/conspiracy) devoted to wide-ranging discussion of conspiracy theories. The availability of large datasets of user comments from Reddit give a unique opportunity to observe human behavior in social spaces and at scale. Using a retrospective case control study design, we analyzed how Reddit users who would go on to engage with a conspiracy-related forum differed from other users in the language they use, differences in the social environments where they posted, and potential interactions between the two factors. Together, the analyses provide evidence for self-selection into communities with a shared set of interests which can feed into a conspiratorial world-view, and that these differences are detectable relative to controls even before users begin to post in r/conspiracy. We also suggest that survey-based and experimental studies may benefit from differentiating between passive private endorsement by individuals and active engagement with conspiracy theories in social spaces.
Relationship of Hospitalized Elders' Perceptions of Nurse Caring Behaviors, Type of Care Unit, Satisfaction With Nursing Care, and Health Outcome of Functional Status

Abstract This study investigated relationships among hospitalized elders' perceptions of nurse caring behaviors, the type of unit on which they received care, their satisfaction with nursing care, and their outcome of functional status. A predictive correlational nonexperimental design was used with a sample of 180 subjects, 90 from an acute care elder unit and 90 from a telemetry unit in an acute care medical center where new-nurse orientation included Nurses Improving Care for Health System Elders (NICHE) concepts of care. Elders' perceptions of nurse caring behaviors were correlated with satisfaction with nursing care (r[178] = 0.555, p = .000). Only one of seven hypotheses was supported. Type of care unit had no effect on elders' perceptions of nurse caring behaviors, satisfaction with care, or functional status outcome. Nurses who are taught how to care for acutely ill hospitalized elders are likely to demonstrate nurse caring behaviors that result in satisfaction with nursing care, better functional.
Evidence that a national REDD+ program reduces tree cover loss and carbon emissions in a high forest cover, low deforestation country

Significance REDD+ is the main international policy to reduce CO2 emissions from deforestation in tropical countries. However, there are no empirical studies on the impact of REDD+ implemented at the country level. Here, we evaluated a nationwide REDD+ program implemented in Guyana. We apply synthetic matching to estimate tree cover loss that would have occurred in the absence of the national REDD+ program (the counterfactual scenario). We found evidence that the program reduced tree cover loss by 35%, equivalent to 12.8 million tons of avoided carbon emissions. We also found evidence of accelerated tree cover loss at the end of the program. A multinational REDD+ approach implemented in a region that includes continuous forest protection payments will improve national REDD+ outcomes. Reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+) is a climate change mitigation policy in which rich countries provide payments to developing countries for protecting their forests. In 2009, the countries of Norway and Guyana entered into one of the first bilateral REDD+ programs, with Norway offering to pay US$250 million to Guyana if annual deforestation rates remained below 0.056% from 2010 to 2015. To quantify the impact of this national REDD+ program, we construct a counterfactual times-series trajectory of annual tree cover loss using synthetic matching. This analytical approach allows us to quantify tree cover loss that would have occurred in the absence of the Norway-Guyana REDD+ program. We found that the Norway-Guyana REDD+ program reduced tree cover loss by 35% during the implementation period (2010 to 2015), equivalent to 12.8 million tons of avoided CO2 emissions. Our analysis indicates that national REDD+ payments attenuated the effect of increases in gold prices, an internationally traded commodity that is the primary deforestation driver in Guyana. Overall, we found strong evidence that the program met the additionality criteria of REDD+. However, we found that tree cover loss increased after the payments ended, and therefore, our results suggest that without continued payments, forest protection is not guaranteed. On the issue of leakage, which is complex and difficult to quantify, a multinational REDD+ program for a region could address leakage that results from differences in forest policies between neighboring countries.
Development and Validation of a Feline Medial Saphenous Venipuncture Model and Rubric.

Cats are extremely popular pets with the reputation of being uncooperative for even common procedures, such as venipuncture. In this study, we sought to create and validate a cat medial saphenous venipuncture model and rubric for use in veterinary training. The validation framework consisted of content evidence, internal structure evidence, and relationship with other variables. Eleven veterinarians and veterinary technicians who were experienced with the procedure evaluated the model by means of a survey. These experienced participants, along with 25 veterinary students who were novices at the skill, performed venipuncture on the model while being digitally recorded. One hundred percent of the experienced participants and 88% of the novices reported that the model was helpful for teaching feline medial saphenous venipuncture. They identified a few areas for continued improvement, including increasing the blood flow rate and decreasing the vessel wall rigidity. Experienced users' rubric scores were significantly higher than novice students' (experienced, M = 13.4; novice M = 16.5; p = .05), suggesting that the model's features were adequate to differentiate the performances of various users. Internal consistency of the eight-item rubric was acceptable at . 74. These results supported validation of the cat medial saphenous model and rubric for use in veterinary education.
Unraveling Shade Tolerance and Plasticity of Semi-Evergreen Oaks: Insights From Maritime Forest Live Oak Restoration

Quercus spp. (oaks) are generally intermediate in shade tolerance, yet there is large variation within the genus in shade tolerance and plasticity in response to varying resource availability. Ecophysiological knowledge specific to semi-evergreen Quercus spp. from subtropical maritime forests is lacking relative to temperate deciduous oaks. We studied the influence of light availability and plant competition on leaf physiology and performance of semi-evergreen Quercus virginiana on a barrier island along the US southern Atlantic coast. Seedlings were underplanted in pine (Pinus taeda) plantation stands with varying overstory density (clear-cut, heavy thin, light thin, and non-thinned; creating a gradient of understory light availability) and vegetation (no competition removal or herbaceous competition removal) treatments. After 2 years, seedling survival was higher with increasing light availability (clear-cut = heavy thin > light thin > non-thinned). Seedling growth (i.e., diameter, height, and crown width) increased similarly with increasing thinning intensity, while vegetation control was mainly beneficial to seedling growth in clear-cuts. These responses were partially explained by foliar nitrogen and leaf trait measurements, which followed the same pattern. Q. virginiana seedlings demonstrated high plasticity in their ability to acclimate to varying resource availability, as indicated by light response curves, specific leaf area, stomatal density, stomatal pore index, and maximum theoretical stomatal conductance. Light compensation and saturation points illustrated seedling capacity to increase net CO2 assimilation with increased light availability. Leaves on trees in the high light environment had the highest net CO2 assimilation, stomatal density, stomatal pore index, maximum theoretical stomatal conductance, and lowest specific leaf area. Although we demonstrated the relative shade tolerance of Q. virginiana in lower light environments (i.e., heavy and light thin plots), this semi-evergreen species shows high plasticity in capacity to respond to varying resource availability, similar to other Quercus spp. from mesic and Mediterranean environments.
Circadian Gene Polymorphisms Associated with Breast Cancer Susceptibility

Breast cancer (BC) is a major problem for civilization, manifested by continuously increasing morbidity and mortality among women worldwide. Core circadian genes may play an important role in cancer development and progression. To evaluate the effects of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in circadian genes in BC risk, 16 functional SNPs were genotyped in 321 BC patients and 364 healthy women using the TaqMan fluorescence-labelled probes or High-Resolution Melt Curve technique in the Real-Time PCR system. The selected SNPs were analyzed for the risk of BC, progression, and the influence on gene expression in BC tissue pairs to demonstrate the functionality of genetic variants. The study showed a relationship between an increased BC risk under the dominant genetic model of CRY2 rs10838524, PER2 rs934945, and recessive genetic model of PER1 rs2735611. A protective effect of BMAL1 rs2279287 was observed among carriers with at least one variant allele. Moreover, we found an increased risk of estrogen-/progesterone-positive tumors under the dominant genetic model of PER2 rs934945 and estrogen negative tumors under the variant genotype of CRY2 rs10838524, PER1 rs2735611. We demonstrated significantly altered gene expression of BMAL1, CRY2, PER1, PER2, PER3 according to particular genotypes in the BC tissue pairs. Our findings support the hypothesized role of circadian genes in breast carcinogenesis and indicate probable biomarkers for breast cancer susceptibility.
Microbial Communities in Bioswale Soils and Their Relationships to Soil Properties, Plant Species, and Plant Physiology

Bioswales and other forms of green infrastructure can be effective means to reduce environmental stresses in urban ecosystems; however, few studies have evaluated the ecology of these systems, or the role that plant selection and microbial assembly play in their function. For the current study, we examined the relationship between plant transpiration rates for five commonly planted herbaceous species in three bioswales in New York City, as well as bioswale soil microbial composition and soil chemistry. Soils were sampled near individual plants, with distinction made between upper (bioswale inlet) and lower slopes (bioswale outlet). We found high variation in transpiration rates across species, and that Nepeta × faassenii was the highest conductor (13.65 mmol H2O m–2s–1), while Panicum virgatum was the lowest conductor (2.67 mmol H2O m–2s–1) (p < 0.001). There was significant variation in percent N of leaves and soil, which did not relate to the higher water conductance in bioswales. Significantly higher C, N, and water content on the high end of bioswale slopes suggest storm water run-off is mostly absorbed on the inlet side. Bacterial and fungal communities were significantly clustered by bioswale and by plant species within each bioswale implying there are micro-environmental controls on the soil microbial composition, and that plant composition matters for microbial assemblages within bioswales. Plants with higher transpiration rates were associated with greater fungal and bacterial diversity at the level of the bioswale and at scale of the individual plant, suggesting a possible link between plant physiological traits and soil microbial communities. These data suggest that the specific plant palette selected for planting bioswales can have deterministic effects on the surrounding microbial communities which may further influence functions such as transpiration and nutrient cycling. These results may have implications for bioswale management to improve urban water quality and reduce stress on sewage systems after storm events by revising plant species palette selection based on the functional consequences of plant-microbial associations in engineered green infrastructure.
Exome sequencing identifies a FHOD3 p.S527del mutation in a Chinese family with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the most common inheritable cardiac disease and is characterised by unexplained ventricular myocardial hypertrophy. HCM is highly heterogeneous and is primarily caused by the mutation of genes encoding sarcomere proteins. As a result of its genetic basis, we investigated the underlying cause of HCM in a Chinese family by whole‐exome sequencing.
Role of the malic enzyme in metabolism of the halotolerant methanotroph Methylotuvimicrobium alcaliphilum 20Z

The bacteria utilizing methane as a growth substrate (methanotrophs) are important constituents of the biosphere. Methanotrophs mitigate the emission of anthropogenic and natural greenhouse gas methane to the environment and are the promising agents for future biotechnologies. Many aspects of CH4 bioconversion by methanotrophs require further clarification. This study was aimed at characterizing the biochemical properties of the malic enzyme (Mae) from the halotolerant obligate methanotroph Methylotuvimicrobium alcaliphilum 20Z. The His6-tagged Mae was obtained by heterologous expression in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) and purified by affinity metal chelating chromatography. As determined by gel filtration and non-denaturating gradient gel electrophoresis, the molecular mass of the native enzyme is 260 kDa. The homotetrameric Mae (65x4 kDa) catalyzed an irreversible NAD+-dependent reaction of L-malate decarboxylation into pyruvate with a specific activity of 32 ± 2 units mg-1 and Km value of 5.5 ± 0.8 mM for malate and 57 ± 5 μM for NAD+. The disruption of the mae gene by insertion mutagenesis resulted in a 20-fold increase in intracellular malate level in the mutant compared to the wild type strain. Based on both enzyme and mutant properties, we conclude that the malic enzyme is involved in the control of intracellular L-malate level in Mtm. alcaliphilum 20Z. Genomic analysis has revealed that Maes present in methanotrophs fall into two different clades in the amino acid-based phylogenetic tree, but no correlation of the division with taxonomic affiliations of the host bacteria was observed.
Applying Interval Fuzzy Petri Net to Failure Analysis

In this article, the authors propose a new approach for modelling and failure analysis by combining the graphical representation provided by Petri nets and fuzzy logic. The graphical method is used for describing the relationship between conditions and events. The use of Petri nets in failure analysis enables replacing logic gate functions in fault trees. The Fuzzy logic technique allows natural language descriptions of process entities as well as an if-then rule-based definition of production. In addition, this study devises an alternative, a trapezoidal graph method in order to account for failure scenarios. Examples validating this novel method in dealing with failure analysis are also provided.
Distinct Montages of Slow Oscillatory Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (so-tDCS) Constitute Different Mechanisms during Quiet Wakefulness

Slow oscillatory- (so-) tDCS has been applied in many sleep studies aimed to modulate brain rhythms of slow wave sleep and memory consolidation. Yet, so-tDCS may also modify coupled oscillatory networks. Efficacy of weak electric brain stimulation is however variable and dependent upon the brain state at the time of stimulation (subject and/or task-related) as well as on stimulation parameters (e.g., electrode placement and applied current. Anodal so-tDCS was applied during wakefulness with eyes-closed to examine efficacy when deviating from the dominant brain rhythm. Additionally, montages of different electrodes size and applied current strength were used. During a period of quiet wakefulness bilateral frontolateral stimulation (F3, F4; return electrodes at ipsilateral mastoids) was applied to two groups: ‘Group small’ (n = 16, f:8; small electrodes: 0.50 cm2; maximal current per electrode pair: 0.26 mA) and ‘Group Large’ (n = 16, f:8; 35 cm2; 0.35 mA). Anodal so-tDCS (0.75 Hz) was applied in five blocks of 5 min epochs with 1 min stimulation-free epochs between the blocks. A finger sequence tapping task (FSTT) was used to induce comparable cortical activity across sessions and subject groups. So-tDCS resulted in a suppression of alpha power over the parietal cortex. Interestingly, in Group Small alpha suppression occurred over the standard band (8–12 Hz), whereas for Group Large power of individual alpha frequency was suppressed. Group Small also revealed a decrease in FSTT performance at retest after stimulation. It is essential to include concordant measures of behavioral and brain activity to help understand variability and poor reproducibility in oscillatory-tDCS studies.