Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Rethinking the risk for depression using the RDoC: A psychophysiological perspective

Considering that the classical categorical approach to mental disorders does not allow a clear identification of at-risk conditions, the dimensional approach provided by the Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) is useful in the exploration of vulnerability to psychopathology. In the RDoC era, psychophysiological models have an important role in the reconceptualization of mental disorders. Indeed, progress in the study of depression vulnerability has increasingly been informed by psychophysiological models. By adopting an RDoC lens, this narrative review focuses on how psychophysiological models can be used to advance our knowledge of the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying depression vulnerability. Findings from psychophysiological research that explored multiple RDoC domains in populations at-risk for depression are reviewed and discussed. Future directions for the application of psychophysiological research in reaching a more complete understanding of depression vulnerability and, ultimately, improving clinical utility, are presented.
Quantum noise and dynamics in quantum well and quantum wire lasers

We calculate the relaxation oscillation corner frequency fr and the linewidth enhancement factor alpha for both a quantum well and a quantum wire semiconductor laser. A comparison of the results to those of a conventional double heterostructure device indicates that fr can be enhanced by 2× in the quantum well case and 3× in the quantum wire case while alpha is reduced in both cases.
The relationship between parental depression and child internalizing and externalizing problems: The roles of parenting stress and child maltreatment

Introduction Although the relationships between parental mental health and child internalizing and externalizing problems have been explored by previous studies, the pathways between these two variables need further exploration. The present study aims to explore the relationships between parental depression and child internalizing and externalizing problems and to examine the roles of parenting stress and child maltreatment in those relationships within the Chinese cultural context. Method Data were collected from 855 Chinese families with preschool-aged children, and mediation analysis was used to examine the pathways between these variables. Results The results show that parental depression is positively associated with child internalizing and externalizing problems, and child maltreatment and the combination of parenting stress and child maltreatment mediated the relationships between parental depression and child internalizing and externalizing problems, respectively. These findings suggest that parental depression not only has a direct effect on child internalizing and externalizing problems but also has an indirect effect via parenting stress and child maltreatment. Discussion Decreasing the levels of parenting stress and child maltreatment should be applied in interventions to break the relationships between parental depression and child internalizing and externalizing problems within the Chinese cultural context.
The effects of combined high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation and cervical nerve root magnetic stimulation on upper extremity motor recovery following stroke

Introduction Upper limb motor impairments after stroke cause patients partial or total loss of the capability of performing daily living, working, and social activities, which significantly affects the quality of life (QoL) of patients and brings a heavy burden to their families and society. As a non-invasive neuromodulation technique, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) can act not only on the cerebral cortex, but also on peripheral nerves, nerve roots, and muscle tissues. Previous studies have shown that magnetic stimulation on the cerebral cortex and peripheral tissues has a positive effect on the recovery of upper limb motor function after stroke, however, few studies have reported the combination of the two. Objective This study was to investigate whether high frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (HF-rTMS) combined with cervical nerve root magnetic stimulation more effectively ameliorates upper limb motor function in stroke patients. We hypothesized that the combination of the two can achieve a synergistic effect and further promotes functional recovery. Methods Sixty patients with stroke were randomly divided into four groups and received real or sham rTMS stimulation and cervical nerve root magnetic stimulation consecutively before other therapies, once daily over five fractions per week for a total of 15 times. We evaluated the upper limb motor function and activities of daily living of the patients at the time of pre-treatment, post-treatment, and 3-month follow up. Results All patients completed study procedures without any adverse effects. The upper limb motor function and activities of daily living improved in patients of each group were improved after treatment (post 1) and 3 months after treatment (post 2). Combination treatment was significantly better than single treatments alone or sham. Conclusion Both rTMS and cervical nerve root magnetic stimulation effectively promoted upper limb motor recovery in patients with stroke. The protocol combining the two is more beneficial for motor improvement and patients can easily tolerate it. Clinical trial registration https://www.chictr. org.cn/, identifier ChiCTR2100048558.
Matching ecological transition and food security in the cereal sector: The role of farmers' preferences on production contracts

Introduction Under an increasing demand from citizen and public institutions, agri-food supply chains are requested to comply with stringent environmental requirements. Moreover, new sources of uncertainty related to pandemic and geo-political turbulences put further pressures on economic agents, calling for proper and resilient governance mechanisms. Under the lens of the Neo Institutional Economics, we focus on production contracts and their clauses which, in turn, perform different functions and contribute to allocate property and decision rights, in the attempt to conciliate sustainability and food security. Methods In this framework, contract design assumes a key importance. Thus, we analyze farmers' preferences for different contractual clauses in the cereal sector. A choice experiment is carried out among durum wheat producers in Italy and mixed logit estimations assuming heterogeneous preferences are performed. Results and discussion Findings provide interesting indications, revealing a strong farmers' willingness to adhere production contracts in exchange for price stability and knowledge transfer offered by technical assistance services. However, producers are not available to limit their decisional autonomy in unilateral agreement with buyers and they reveal a certain indifference to costly production techniques aimed to improve environmental sustainability.
Embryonic ethanol exposure disrupts craniofacial neuromuscular integration in zebrafish larvae

Forming a vertebrate head involves the meticulous integration of multiple tissue types during development. Prenatal alcohol exposure is known to cause a variety of birth defects, especially to tissues in the vertebrate head. However, a systematic analysis of coordinated defects across tissues in the head is lacking. Here, we delineate the effects of ethanol on individual tissue types and their integration during craniofacial development. We found that exposure to 1% ethanol induced ectopic cranial muscle and nerve defects with only slight effects on skeletal pattern. Ectopic muscles were, however, unaccompanied by ectopic tendons and could be partially rescued by anesthetizing the larvae before muscle fibers appeared. This finding suggests that the ectopic muscles result from fiber detachment and are not due to an underlying muscle patterning defect. Interestingly, immobilization did not rescue the nerve defects, thus ethanol has an independent effect on each tissue even though they are linked in developmental time and space. Time-course experiments demonstrated an increase in nerve defects with ethanol exposure between 48hpf-4dpf. Time-lapse imaging confirmed the absence of nerve pathfinding or misrouting defects until 48hpf. These results indicate that ethanol-induced nerve defects occur at the time of muscle innervation and after musculoskeletal patterning. Further, we investigated the effect of ethanol on the neuromuscular junctions of the craniofacial muscles and found a reduced number of postsynaptic receptors with no significant effect on the presynaptic terminals. Our study shows that craniofacial soft tissues are particularly susceptible to ethanol-induced damage and that these defects appear independent from one another. Thus, the effects of ethanol on the vertebrate head appear highly pleiotropic.
The metabolic underpinnings of temperature-dependent predation in a key marine predator

Introduction Changes in temperature can fundamentally transform how species interact, causing wholesale shifts in ecosystem dynamics and stability. Yet we still have a limited understanding of how temperature-dependence in physiology drives temperature-dependence in species-interactions. For predator-prey interactions, theory predicts that increases in temperature drive increases in metabolism and that animals respond to this increased energy expenditure by ramping up their food consumption to meet their metabolic demand. However, if consumption does not increase as rapidly with temperature as metabolism, increases in temperature can ultimately cause a reduction in consumer fitness and biomass via starvation. Methods Here we test the hypothesis that increases in temperature cause more rapid increases in metabolism than increases in consumption using the California spiny lobster (Panulirus interruptus) as a model system. We acclimated individual lobsters to temperatures they experience sacross their biogeographic range (11, 16, 21, or 26°C), then measured whether lobster consumption rates are able to meet the increased metabolic demands of rising temperatures. Results and discussion We show positive effects of temperature on metabolism and predation, but in contrast to our hypothesis, rising temperature caused lobster consumption rates to increase at a faster rate than increases in metabolic demand, suggesting that for the mid-range of temperatures, lobsters are capable of ramping up consumption rates to increase their caloric demand. However, at the extreme ends of the simulated temperatures, lobster biology broke down. At the coldest temperature, lobsters had almost no metabolic activity and at the highest temperature, 33% of lobsters died. Our results suggest that temperature plays a key role in driving the geographic range of spiny lobsters and that spatial and temporal shifts in temperature can play a critical role in driving the strength of species interactions for a key predator in temperate reef ecosystems.
Replacement of water yam (Dioscorea alata L.) indigenous root endophytes and rhizosphere bacterial communities via inoculation with a synthetic bacterial community of dominant nitrogen-fixing bacteria

Biofertilizers containing high-density plant growth-promoting bacteria are gaining interest as a sustainable solution to environmental problems caused by eutrophication. However, owing to the limitations of current investigative techniques, the selected microorganisms are not always preferred by the host plant, preventing recruitment into the native microbiota or failing to induce plant growth-promoting effects. To address this, five nitrogen-fixing bacteria previously isolated from water yam (Dioscorea alata L.) plants and showing dominant abundance of 1% or more in the water yam microbiota were selected for analysis of their plant growth-promoting activities when used as a synthetic bacterial inoculant. Water yam cv. A-19 plants were inoculated twice at 10 and 12 weeks after planting under greenhouse conditions. Bacterial communities in root, rhizosphere, and bulk soil samples were characterized using high-throughput 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. Compared with non-inoculated plants, all bacterial communities were significantly altered by inoculation, mainly at the genus level. The inoculation effects were apparently found in the root communities at 16 weeks after planting, with all inoculated genera showing dominance (in the top 35 genera) compared with the control samples. However, no significant differences in any of the growth parameters or nitrogen contents were observed between treatments. At 20 weeks after planting, the dominance of Stenotrophomonas in the inoculated roots decreased, indicating a decline in the inoculation effects. Interestingly, only the Allorhizobium-Neorhizobium-Pararhizobium-Rhizobium clade was dominant (>1% relative abundance) across all samples, suggesting that bacteria related to this clade are essential core bacteria for water yam growth. This is the first report on addition of a synthetic nitrogen-fixing bacterial community in water yam plants showing that native bacterial communities can be replaced by a synthetic bacterial community, with declining in the effects of Stenotrophomonas on the modified communities several weeks after inoculation.
Unstable SpO2 in preterm infants: The key role of reduced ventilation to perfusion ratio

Introduction: Instability of peripheral oxyhemoglobin saturation (SpO2) in preterm infants is correlated with late disability and is poorly understood. We hypothesised that a reduced ventilation to perfusion ratio (VA/Q) is the key predisposing factor for SpO2 instability. Methods: We first used a mathematical model to compare the effects of reduced VA/Q or shunt on SaO2 stability (SaO2 and SpO2 are used for model and clinical studies respectively). Stability was inferred from the slope of the SaO2 vs. inspired oxygen pressure (P IO2) curve as it intersects the 21 kPa P IO2 line (breathing air). Then, in a tertiary neonatal intensive care unit, paired hourly readings of SpO2 and P IO2 were recorded over a 24 h period in week old extremely preterm infants. We noted SpO2 variability and used an algorithm to derive VA/Q and shunt from the paired SpO2 and P IO2 measurements. Results: Our model predicted that when VA/Q < 0.4, a 1% change in P IO2 results in >8% fluctuation in SaO2 at 21 kPa P IO2. In contrast, when a 20% intrapulmonary shunt was included in the model, a 1% change in P IO2 results in <1% fluctuation in the SaO2. Moreover, further reducing the VA/Q from 0.4 to 0.3 at 21 kPa P IO2 resulted in a 24% fall in SaO2. All 31 preterm infants [mean gestation (±standard deviation) 26.2 (±1) week] had VA/Q < 0.74 (normal >0.85) but only two infants had increased shunt at 1.1 (±0.5) weeks’ postnatal age. Median (IQR) SpO2 fluctuation was 8 (7)%. The greatest SpO2 fluctuations were seen in infants with VA/Q < 0.52 (n = 10): SpO2 fluctuations ranged from 11%–17% at a constant P IO2 when VA/Q < 0.52. Two infants had reduced VA/Q and increased shunt (21% and 27%) which resolved into low VA/Q after 3–6 h. Discussion: Routine monitoring of P IO2 and SpO2 can be used to derive a hitherto elusive measure of VA/Q. Predisposition to SpO2 instability results from reduced VA/Q rather than increased intrapulmonary shunt in preterm infants with cardiorespiratory disease. SpO2 instability can be prevented by a small increase in P IO2.
Changing role of the amygdala in affective and cognitive traits between early and late adulthood

Introduction Healthy aging is typically associated with cognitive decline and lower negative affect. Previous studies have reported a significant and opposite role of the amygdala in relation to cognitive and affective processing in early adulthood. However, it remains unclear how aging impacts such relationships. Methods Seventy-seven healthy participants including 40 young (mean age = 26.1 years) and 37 older (mean age = 61.8 years) adults completed a functional MRI Affective Stroop (AS) paradigm, a cognitive battery, and the state-trait anxiety inventory. The AS fMRI paradigm included “task trials,” where participants saw a positively, negatively or neutrally valenced distractor image, followed by a numerical display, followed by another distractor image. We extracted signal in both amygdalas during the AS Task and compared it across all conditions and age group. We further conducted moderation analyses to investigate the impact of aging on the relationship between amygdala activation and anxiety or cognitive variables, respectively. Results At the behavioral level, older participants showed lower trait anxiety than the younger adults (p = 0.002). While overall slower during the AS task, older adults achieved comparable accuracy during the AS task, relative to the younger adults. At the brain level, we revealed a significant interaction between age group and trial types in amygdala activation (F = 4.9, p = 0.03), with the older group showing stronger activation during the most complex trials compared to the passive view trials. We further found that age significantly modulated the relationship between anxiety and the left amygdala activation during negative stimuli, where the younger adults showed a positive association while the older adults showed a negative association. Age also significantly modulated the relationship between verbal fluency and left amygdala activation during incongruent versus view trials, with the younger adults showing a negative association and the older adults showing a positive association. Discussion The current study suggests that the role of the amygdala on both emotional processing and cognitive traits changes between early and late adulthood.
Pulse-wave velocity assessments derived from a simple photoplethysmography device: Agreement with a referent device

Objective Pulse-wave velocity (PWV), a common measure of arterial stiffness, can be measured continuously and across multiple body sites using photoplethysmography (PPG). The objective was to determine whether a simple photoplethysmography PPG PWV method agrees with a referent device. Approach Photoplethysmography heart-finger PWV (hfPWV) and heart-toe PWV (htPWV) were compared to oscillometric carotid-wrist PWV (cwPWV) and carotid-ankle PWV (caPWV) referent measurements, respectively. In 30 adults (24.6 ± 4.8 years, body mass index 25.2 ± 5.9 kg/m2, 18 female), three measurements were made: two supine baseline measurements (Base 1, Base 2) and one measurement (Tilt) 5 min after a modified head-up tilt test (mHUTT). Overall agreement and repeated measures agreement (change in PPG PWV from Base to Tilt vs. change in referent PWV from Base to Tilt) were calculated using linear mixed models. Agreement estimates were expressed as intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC). Main results For hfPWV there was strong overall agreement (ICC: 0.77, 95%CI: 0.67–0.85), but negligible and non-significant repeated measures agreement (ICC: 0.10, 95%CI: −0.18 to 0.36). For htPWV, there was moderate overall agreement (ICC:0.50, 95%CI: 0.31–0.65) and strong repeated measures agreement (ICC: 0.81, 95%CI: 0.69–0.89). Significance Photoplethysmography can continuously measure PWV at multiple arterial segments with moderate-strong overall agreement. While further work with upper-limb PPG PWV is needed, PPG can adequately capture acute changes in lower-limb PWV.
Estimated power output for a distance run and maximal oxygen uptake in young adults

Background: Both cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) and run field tests are recommended by the American Heart Association for assessing the maximal oxygen uptake (VO2 max) of youth. Power output was highly correlated with VO2 max in CPET. However, it is unclear regarding the correlations of time and estimated power output (EPO) for a run field test with VO2 max obtained from CPET in young adults. Methods: This study included 45 participants, aged 20–40 years, from a sample of 1,120 military personnel who completed a 3,000-m run field test in Taiwan in 2020. The participants subsequently received CPET using the Bruce protocol to assess VO2 max in the same year. According to the physics rule, EPO (watts) for the run field test was defined as the product of half body mass (kg) and [distance (3000-m)/time (s) for a run field test]. Pearson product–moment correlation analyses were performed. Results: The Pearson correlation coefficient (r) of time against EPO for the run field test was estimated to be 0.708 (p <0.001). The correlation coefficient between the time for the run field test and VO2 max (L/min) in CPET was estimated to be 0.462 (p = 0.001). In contrast, the correlation coefficient between time for the run field test and VO2 max scaled to body mass in CPET was estimated to be 0.729 (p <0.001). The correlation coefficient of EPO for the run field test against VO2 max in CPET was estimated to be 0.813 (p <0.001). Conclusion: In young adults, although the time for a run field test was a reliable estimate of VO2 max scaled to body mass, EPO proportional to the mean square velocity was found as a superior estimate of VO2 max.
Mead acid inhibits retinol-induced irritant contact dermatitis via peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha

Retinol is widely used in topical skincare products to ameliorate skin aging and treat acne and wrinkles; however, retinol and its derivatives occasionally have adverse side effects, including the induction of irritant contact dermatitis. Previously, we reported that mead acid (5,8,11-eicosatrienoic acid), an oleic acid metabolite, ameliorated skin inflammation in dinitrofluorobenzene-induced allergic contact hypersensitivity by inhibiting neutrophil infiltration and leukotriene B4 production by neutrophils. Here, we showed that mead acid also suppresses retinol-induced irritant contact dermatitis. In a murine model, we revealed that mead acid inhibited keratinocyte abnormalities such as keratinocyte hyperproliferation. Consistently, mead acid inhibited p38 MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase) phosphorylation, which is an essential signaling pathway in the keratinocyte hyperplasia induced by retinol. These inhibitory effects of mead acid were associated with the prevention of both keratinocyte hyperproliferation and the gene expression of neutrophil chemoattractants, including Cxcl1 and Cxcl2, and they were mediated by a PPAR (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor)-α pathway. Our findings identified the anti-inflammatory effects of mead acid, the use of which can be expected to minimize the risk of adverse side effects associated with topical retinoid application.