Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Functional Brain Connectivity of Language Functions in Children Revealed by EEG and MEG: A Systematic Review

The development of language functions is of great interest to neuroscientists, as these functions are among the fundamental capacities of human cognition. For many years, researchers aimed at identifying cerebral correlates of language abilities. More recently, the development of new data analysis tools has generated a shift toward the investigation of complex cerebral networks. In 2015, Weiss-Croft and Baldeweg published a very interesting systematic review on the development of functional language networks, explored through the use of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Compared to fMRI and because of their excellent temporal resolution, magnetoencephalography (MEG) and electroencephalography (EEG) provide different and important information on brain activity. Both therefore constitute crucial neuroimaging techniques for the investigation of the maturation of functional language brain networks. The main objective of this systematic review is to provide a state of knowledge on the investigation of language-related cerebral networks in children, through the use of EEG and MEG, as well as a detailed portrait of relevant MEG and EEG data analysis methods used in that specific research context. To do so, we have summarized the results and systematically compared the methodological approach of 24 peer-reviewed EEG or MEG scientific studies that included healthy children and children with or at high risk of language disabilities, from birth up to 18 years of age. All included studies employed functional and effective connectivity measures, such as coherence, phase locking value, and Phase Slope Index, and did so using different experimental paradigms (e.g., at rest or during language-related tasks). This review will provide more insight into the use of EEG and MEG for the study of language networks in children, contribute to the current state of knowledge on the developmental path of functional connectivity in language networks during childhood and adolescence, and finally allow future studies to choose the most appropriate type of connectivity analysis.
Endometrial Cancer Immune Escape Mechanisms: Let Us Learn From the Fetal–Maternal Interface

The immune escape mechanisms at the base of tumor progression in endometrial cancer mimic immune tolerance mechanisms occurring at the maternal–fetal interface. The biological and immunological processes behind the maternal–fetal interface are finely tuned in time and space during embryo implantation and subsequent pregnancy stages; conversely, those behind cancer progression are often aberrant. The environment composition at the maternal–fetal interface parallels the pro-tumor microenvironment identified in many cancers, pointing to the possibility for the use of the maternal–fetal interface as a model to depict immune therapeutic targets in cancer. The framework of cancer environment signatures involved in immune adaptations, precisely timed in cancer progression, could reveal a specific “immune clock” in endometrial cancer, which might guide clinicians in patient risk class assessment, diagnostic workup, management, surgical and therapeutic approach, and surveillance strategies. Here, we review studies approaching this hypothesis, focusing on what is known so far about oncofetal similarities in immunity with the idea to individualize personalized immunotherapy targets, through the downregulation of the immune escape stage or the reactivation of the pro-inflammatory processes suppressed by the tumor.
Evaluation of the intracellular accumulation of fluoroquinolones in mycobacteria by fluorometric assays

Background: Fluoroquinolones (FQs) are being used as second-line agents in the treatment of tuberculosis caused by multidrug-resistant strains. Ofloxacin (OFX) is being tried as a part of modified multidrug therapy regimens for leprosy. A preliminary study was carried out to evaluate the accumulation of FQs – OFX, levofloxacin (LFX), norfloxacin (NFX), and ciprofloxacin (CIF) in Mycobacterium smegmatis. Methods: M. smegmatis were grown in Sauton's medium till log phase, harvested and resuspended in phosphate buffer (0.1 M, pH 7.2, Optical Density (OD) of 0.4–0.5) The suspensions were incubated with OFX, LFX, NFX, and CIF (10 μg/ml) at 37°C. The drugs were estimated in the supernatants using spectrofluorimeteric methods. The experiments were also conducted with the addition of carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenyl hydrazone (CCCP), a proton motive force inhibitor, at 100 μM, 10 min before and/or immediately after the addition of the drugs. Results: The time taken to achieve a Steady State Concentration (SSC) of OFX in M. smegmatis was 3 min and the level of accumulation was 102 ng/mg dry weight of the bacilli; with LFX the time for SSC was 5 min and the level of accumulation was 90 ng/mg; in case of NFX the accumulation to SSC was 87 ng/mg in 3 min. CIF accumulation attained a steady state (SSC level of 79 ng/mg) in 4 min. The accumulation kinetics for NFX in M. smegmatis using the spectrofluorimetric method is comparable with radioactive assays. Dose-related accumulation was observed with 10 μg/ml exposure concentrations. The addition of CCCP failed to influence the accumulation of each of these quinolones. Conclusion: The findings of dose-related accumulation of OFX, LFX NFX, and CIF suggest simple diffusion as the possible mechanism of transport of these drugs.
Assimilation of SEVIRI Water Vapor Channels With an Ensemble Kalman Filter on the Convective Scale

Numerical weather prediction (NWP) systems at the convective scale are operated to gain reliable forecasts for diverse atmospheric variables at high spatial resolution. Especially for the prediction of small-scale weather phenomena such as deep convection including the associated precipitation patterns and wind gusts the high-resolution models provide additional benefit over coarser scale models. In this context the distribution of atmospheric humidity plays an important role, however conventional observations of atmospheric humidity are sparse in space and time. The present work aims at the assimilation of water vapor channel radiances of the satellite instrument SEVIRI in an operational framework based on a Local Ensemble Transform Kalman Filter (LETKF) and a convection permitting NWP model. This article describes all the essential elements for a successful incorporation of this kind of data into the system, from the application of a cloud filtering technique over bias correction and vertical localization of the radiance observation. Data assimilation experiments over two 4-week periods show a neutral to slightly positive impact of SEVIRI radiances on upper-air relative humidity and wind speed forecasts.
The Effect of Magnetic Field on Catalytic Properties in Core-Shell Type Particles

Magnetic field effects can provide a handle on steering chemical reactions and manipulating yields. The presence of a magnetic field can influence the energy levels of the active species by interacting with their spin states. Here we demonstrate the effect of a magnetic field on the electrocatalytic processes taking place on platinum-based nanoparticles in fuel cell conditions. We have identified a shift in the potentials representing hydrogen adsorption and desorption, present in all measurements recorded in the presence of a magnetic field. We argue that the changes in electrochemical behavior are a result of the interactions between the magnetic field and the unpaired spin states of hydrogen.
EEG Effective Source Projections Are More Bilaterally Symmetric in Infants Than in Adults

Although anatomical brain hemispheric asymmetries have been clearly documented in the infant brain, findings concerning functional hemispheric specialization have been inconsistent. The present report aims to assess whether bilaterally symmetric synchronous activity between the two hemispheres is a characteristic of the infant brain. To asses cortical bilateral synchronicity, we used decomposition by independent component analysis (ICA) of high-density electroencephalographic (EEG) data collected in an auditory passive oddball paradigm. Decompositions of concatenated 64-channel EEG data epochs from each of 34 typically developing 6-month-old infants and from 18 healthy young adults participating in the same passive auditory oddball protocol were compared to characterize differences in functional brain organization between early life and adulthood. Our results show that infant EEG decompositions comprised a larger number of independent component (IC) effective source processes compatible with a cortical origin and having bilaterally near-symmetric scalp projections (13.8% of the infant data ICs presented a bilateral pattern vs. 4.3% of the adult data ICs). These IC projections could be modeled as the sum of potentials volume-conducted to the scalp from synchronous locally coherent field activities in corresponding left and right cortical source areas. To conclude, in this paradigm, source-resolved infant brain EEG exhibited more bilateral synchronicity than EEG produced by the adult brain, supporting the hypothesis that more strongly unilateral and likely more functionally specialized unihemispheric cortical field activities are concomitants of brain maturation.
Characterization and Functional Analysis of Two Transmembrane C-Type Lectins in Obscure Puffer (Takifugu obscurus)

C-type lectins (CTLs) have received widespread attention in animal immune responses. In the present study, two CTLs (ToCTL1 and ToCTL2) were identified from obscure puffer Takifugu obscurus. The open reading frames of ToCTL1 and ToCTL2 were 687 and 1,380 bp, respectively. The predicted ToCTL1 and ToCTL2 proteins contained a single transmembrane region and one typical carbohydrate recognition domain (CRD). Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction detected ToCTL1 and ToCTL2 transcripts in all examined tissues, with high levels in the intestine and kidney, and their expression levels were remarkably altered upon Vibrio harveyi and Aeromonas hydrophila infection. The recombinant proteins ToCTL1-CRD and ToCTL2-CRD agglutinated the Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria in a Ca2+-dependent manner. rToCTL1-CRD and rToCTL2-CRD exhibited evident binding activities against seven kinds of bacteria and polysaccharides (lipopolysaccharide and peptidoglycan) in a Ca2+-independent manner. Moreover, rToCTL1-CRD and rToCTL2-CRD could inhibit the growth of four types of bacteria in vitro. These findings collectively demonstrated that ToCTL1 and ToCTL2 could be involved in host defense against bacterial infection in T. obscurus.
On the taxonomic position of Phaenomenella Fraussen & Hadorn, 2006 (Neogastropoda, Buccinoidea) with description of two new species

ABSTRACT This contribution provides novel information on the anatomy, radula and phylogeny of several species of Phaenomenella Fraussen & Hadorn, 2006, a genus of Buccinoidea Rafinesque, 1815 with unclear affinities. Molecular phylogenetic analysis based on sequences of mitochondrial COI and nuclear 28S rRNA genes of different representatives of Buccinoidea revealed close relationships of Phaenomenella with Siphonalia A. Adams, 1863 both taxa forming a clade with maximal support. The anatomy of two species of the latter genus was examined for the first time for comparative purposes. The subfamily Siphonaliinae Finlay, 1928 was erected for several Recent and fossil genera of Southern Hemisphere Buccinidae Rafinesque, 1815, and is still recognized by current taxonomists (Bouchet et al. 2017). Species of all Recent genera of Siphonaliinae were included in our analysis and the monophyly of the subfamily Siphonaliinae in its original scope is rejected. Molecular and morphological data revealed two still unnamed species of Phaenomenella from the lower bathyal zone of the South China Sea. These species, Phaenomenella nicoi n. sp. and P. samadiae n. sp. are described in the present study.
Assessment of lip phenotype and its association with anterior tooth alignment in children

Background: Lip types are typical for every person, and there are three basic lip phenotypes in humans. Uncertainty exists as to whether a general trend follows in the classification of lip according to the dental alignment. Aim: The purpose of this study was to assess the correlation between lip phenotype and the type of anterior tooth alignment. Materials and Methods: The study sample comprised schoolchildren aged between 10 and 14 years screened before the study and equally divided (n = 50) based on lip phenotypes given by Cutbirth classification on the basis of lip form as high, moderate, and straight lip. Parameters assessed included anterior well-aligned teeth, anterior malaligned teeth, crowding, spacing, midline diastema, increased anterior maxillary overjet, anterior deep bite, and retroclined anterior teeth. Scores for each of these morphologic characteristics were determined by direct measurement. Descriptive and analytical statistics were done. Results: The Chi-square test was used to check differences in proportions. The statistical significance was set at P < 0.05. Statistical significant correlations were observed between anterior tooth alignment and the lip phenotype. Conclusion: The malaligned anterior teeth were significantly higher in children with high and moderate lip phenotypes, whereas the well-aligned anterior teeth were a general trend that existed in children with straight lip phenotype.
A new molecular diagnostic tool for surveying and monitoring [i]Triops cancriformis[i] populations

The tadpole mhrimp, Triops cancriformis, im a fremhwater crumtacean limted am endangered in the UK and Europe living in ephemeral poolm. Populationm are threatened by habitat demtruction due to land development for agriculture and increamed urbanimation. Dempite thim, there im a lack of efficient methodm for dimcovering and monitoring populationm. Emtablimhed macroinvertebrate monitoring methodm, much am net mampling, are unmuitable given the organimm'm life himtory, that include long lived diapauming eggm, benthic habitm and ephemerally active populationm. Conventional hatching methodm, much am mediment incubation, are both time conmuming and potentially confounded by bet-hedging hatching mtrategiem of diapauming eggm. Here we develop a new molecular diagnomtic method to detect viable egg bankm of T. cancriformis, and compare itm performance to two conventional monitoring methodm involving diapauming egg hatching. We apply thim method to a collection of pond medimentm from the Wildfowl & Wetlandm Trumt Caerlaverock National Nature Remerve, which holdm one of the two remaining Britimh populationm of T. cancriformis. DNA barcoding of imolated eggm, uming newly demigned mpeciem-mpecific primerm for a large region of mtDNA, wam umed to emtimate egg viability. Theme emtimatem were compared to thome obtained by the conventional methodm of mediment and imolation hatching. Our method outperformed the conventional methodm, revealing mix pondm holding viable T. cancriformis diapauming egg bankm in Caerlaverock. Additionally, demigned mpeciem-mpecific primerm for a mhort region of mtDNA identified degraded, inviable eggm and were umed to amcertain the levelm of recent mortality within an egg bank. Together with efficient mugar flotation techniquem to extract eggm from mediment mamplem, our molecular method proved to be a famter 1
Postpartum women with micronutrient deficiency: Health status and fatigue

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Effect of initial gravimetric water content and cyclic wetting-drying on soil-water characteristic curves of disintegrated carbonaceous mudstone

The soil-water characteristic curve (SWCC) is often used to estimate unsaturated soil properties (e.g. strength, permeability, volume change, solute and thermal diffusivity). The SWCC of soil samples is significantly affected by cyclic wetting-drying. To examine how water content and cyclic wetting-drying affect the SWCC of disintegrated carbonaceous mudstone (DCM), SWCC tests were implemented using a pressure-plate apparatus. In addition, SWCC models for DCM considering the initial gravimetric water content and cyclic wetting-drying were developed. The test results showed that the volumetric water content (θ ) of the DCM first decreased rapidly and then became stable as matric suction (s) increased. The initial water content affected the SWCC by altering the pore structure of the DCM. For a given number of wetting-drying cycles, the higher the initial water content, the higher the stabilized θ . At a given s value, θ decreased as the number of wetting-drying cycles increased, which suggests that cyclic wetting-drying reduces the water-holding capacity of DCM. The Gardner model for DCM was constructed considering initial water content and cyclic wetting-drying, and was effective at describing and predicting the SWCC model for DCM.
Probabilistic Page Replacement Policy in Buffer Cache Management for Flash-Based Cloud Databases

In the fast evolution of storage systems, the newly emerged flash memory-based Solid State Drives (SSDs) are becoming an important part of the computer storage hierarchy. Amongst the several advantages of flash-based SSDs, high read performance, and low power consumption are of primary importance. Amongst its few disadvantages, its asymmetric I/O latencies for read, write and erase operations are the most crucial for overall performance. In this paper, we proposed two novel probabilistic adaptive algorithms that compute the future probability of reference based on recency, frequency, and periodicity of past page references. The page replacement is performed by considering the probability of reference of cached pages as well as asymmetric read-write-erase properties of flash devices. The experimental results show that our proposed method is successful in minimizing the performance overheads of flash-based systems as well as in maintaining the good hit ratio. The results also justify the utility of a genetic algorithm in maximizing the overall performance gains.
Image Super-Resolution Based on Sparse Coding with Multi-Class Dictionaries

Sparse coding-based single image super-resolution has attracted much interest. In this paper, a super-resolution reconstruction algorithm based on sparse coding with multi-class dictionaries is put forward. We propose a novel method for image patch classiﬁcation, using the phase congruency information. A sub-dictionary is learned from patches in each category. For a given image patch, the sub-dictionary that belongs to the same category is selected adaptively. Since the given patch has similar pattern with the selected sub-dictionary, it can be better represented. Finally, iterative back-projection is used to enforce global reconstruction constraint. Experiments demonstrate that our approach can produce comparable or even better super-resolution reconstruction results with some existing algorithms, in both subjective visual quality and numerical measures.
Executable First-Order Queries in the Logic of Information Flows

The logic of information flows (LIF) has recently been proposed as a general framework in the field of knowledge representation. In this framework, tasks of a procedural nature can still be modeled in a declarative, logic-based fashion. In this paper, we focus on the task of query processing under limited access patterns, a well-studied problem in the database literature. We show that LIF is well-suited for modeling this task. Toward this goal, we introduce a variant of LIF called "forward" LIF, in a first-order setting. We define FLIF^io, a syntactical fragment of forward LIF, and show that it corresponds exactly to the "executable" fragment of first-order logic defined by Nash and Ludascher. The definition of FLIF^io involves a classification of the free variables of an expression into "input" and "output" variables. Our result hinges on inertia and determinacy laws for forward LIF expressions, which are interesting in their own right. These laws are formulated in terms of the input and output variables.
The Method of Forming a Dynamic Projects Portfolio of IT Companies

The formation of the IT company project portfolio considered within the confines of strategic development planning. It is proposed that the formation of the portfolio be carried out based on the criterion of maximizing the utility function. The utility function is formed as an additive convolution of the utility functions of the efficiency criteria, risk and benefit from the implementation of this project for the company’s development. It is suggested to consider the totality of IT company project portfolios by years of the planned strategic period as a dynamic object. The process of forming a dynamic project portfolio has two stages: at the first stage, the strategic task of forming a dynamic portfolio is solved as a set of portfolios by years of the planning period; at the second stage, this portfolio is managed. Management involves changing the composition of the portfolio according to the changing policies by the years of the planning period. Company policies during the planning period are adjusted depending on changes in the situation in the IT market. Some results of the implementation of the dynamic portfolio formation method for Ukrainian IT-company are presented. The implementation of this method allowed the project office to rationally plan the company resources, determine activity directions in the IT market, and adjust the development policy of the company on the strategic period.
Treatment of Dystrophic mdx Mice with an ADAMTS-5 Specific Monoclonal Antibody Increases the Ex Vivo Strength of Isolated Fast Twitch Hindlimb Muscles

Aberrant extracellular matrix synthesis and remodeling contributes to muscle degeneration and weakness in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). ADAMTS-5, a secreted metalloproteinase with catalytic activity against versican, is implicated in myogenesis and inflammation. Here, using the mdx mouse model of DMD, we report increased ADAMTS-5 expression in dystrophic hindlimb muscles, localized to regions of regeneration and inflammation. To investigate the pathophysiological significance of this, 4-week-old mdx mice were treated with an ADAMTS-5 monoclonal antibody (mAb) or IgG2c (IgG) isotype control for 3 weeks. ADAMTS-5 mAb treatment did not reduce versican processing, as protein levels of the cleaved versikine fragment did not differ between hindlimb muscles from ADAMTS-5 mAb or IgG treated mdx mice. Nonetheless, ADAMTS-5 blockade improved ex vivo strength of isolated fast extensor digitorum longus, but not slow soleus, muscles. The underpinning mechanism may include modulation of regenerative myogenesis, as ADAMTS-5 blockade reduced the number of recently repaired desmin positive myofibers without affecting the number of desmin positive muscle progenitor cells. Treatment with the ADAMTS-5 mAb did not significantly affect markers of muscle damage, inflammation, nor fiber size. Altogether, the positive effects of ADAMTS-5 blockade in dystrophic muscles are fiber-type-specific and independent of versican processing.