Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
How does the management of rice in natural ponds alter aquatic insect community functional structure

Changes to biodiversity have mainly been assessed using taxonomic diversity indices. Although these approaches contribute to our scientific understanding of species richness and composition patterns, trait-based metrics may be more useful for detecting responses to land-use change. We compared functional diversity of aquatic insect communities along a gradient of agricultural intensification. Our goal was to compare functional redundancy, functional richness, functional evenness and functional divergence among natural ponds, and organic and conventional rice fields. We recorded 15606 aquatic insects distributed across 61 genera. The highest functional redundancy and richness were observed in the natural ponds, followed by organic rice fields and conventional ones. The functional composition varied among natural ponds and rice fields, and differed between organic and conventional rice fields. Organic management favoured the establishment of some pond insect traits, such as predatory taxa, in rice agroecosystems. Our analysis suggests that the conversion of ponds to rice fields results in a shift to less specialised aquatic insect communities with altered functional composition groups. Nevertheless, this result should not be seen as a negative reflection on organic rice fields, because organic rice production affords a better compromise between agricultural production and ecosystem function than conventional agriculture.
“This is some mess right here”: Exploring interactions between Black sexual minority women and health care providers for breast cancer screening and care

Few studies have explored how the intersection of race and sexual identity contribute to breast cancer disparities for Black sexual minority women (SMW). Issues within patient‐provider relationships, including bias, contribute to health disparities for minority groups. The authors used constructs from self‐determination theory (SDT) to explore the nature of health care provider interactions in breast cancer screening and care among Black SMW.
Swimming in constricting (Elaphe g. guttata) and nonconstricting (Nerodia fasciata pictiventris) colubrid snakes

The axial skeleton, musculature and the waveform during swimming were examined for Nerodia f. pictiventris, a nonconstricting colubrid, and Elaphe g. guttata, a constricting colubrid. Both species possess qualitatively similar configurations of the segments of three major epaxial muscles (M. semispinalisspinalis, M. longissimus dorsi and M. iliocostalis). Segmental lengths of these three muscles of Elaphe are slightly less than or equal to those of Nerodia, whereas Elaphe has 50% more total vertebrae than Nerodia. Between the two species examined, no differences were found in waveform or maximum swimming velocity, whereas there were slight differences in the relation between relative swimming velocity and the frequency of wave propagation. For both species the amplitude and wavelength of the lateral undulations increased from anterior to posterior. Within each species, relative amplitude and relative wavelength tended to decrease slightly as swimming speed or snake size increased. For Nerodia the maximum absolute swimming velocity scaled with total snake length to the 0.6 power. For all snakes stability in the transverse plane increased with increased swimming speed. Snakes and anguilliform fish exhibited similar burst swimming velocities and a similar relationship between frequency of undulation and relative forward velocity.
Peroxidase Allozyme Differentiation among Successional Stands of Ponderosa Pine

Genetic variation of a peroxidase locus from mature ponderosa pine needles has been surveyed among four successional stands on the Shanahan Mesa near Boulder, Colorado. The recent colonization of this mesa by ponderosa pine can be documented by historical reports and tree cores. Allozyme differentiation was observed on the Shanahan Mesa between two recently colonized, open-grown stands and a shaded secondary growth stand, which parallels patterns of differentiation found in nearby mountain populations. At a transitional stand in the middle of the mesa, genetic differences also occurred between older open-grown trees and shaded younger trees. Environmental effects from canopy closure appear to have affected peroxidase differentiation among these successional stands.
Lateral and flexural thermal transport in stanene/2D-SiC van der Waals heterostructure

Thermal management is one of the key challenges in nanoelectronic and optoelectronic devices. The development of a van der Waals heterostructure (vdWH) using the vertical positioning of different two-dimensional (2D) materials has recently appeared as a promising way of attaining desirable electrical, optical, and thermal properties. Here, we explore the lateral and flexural thermal conductivity of stanene/2D-SiC vdWH utilizing the reverse non-equilibrium molecular dynamics simulation and transient pump-probe technique. The effects of length, area, coupling strength and temperature on the thermal transport are studied systematically. The projected lateral thermal conductivity of a stanene/2D-SiC hetero-bilayer is found to be 66.67 W m−1K−1 , which is greater than stanene, silicene, germanene, MoSe2 and even higher than some hetero-bilayers, including MoS2/MoSe2 and stanene/silicene. The lateral thermal conductivity increases as the length increases, while it tends to decrease with increasing temperature. The computed flexural interfacial thermal resistance between stanene and 2D-SiC is 3.0622 × 10−7 K.m2 W−1, which is close to other 2D hetero-bilayers. The interfacial resistance between stanene and 2D-SiC is reduced by 70.49% and 50.118% as the temperature increases from 100 K to 600 K and the coupling factor increases from χ=0.5 to χ=5 , respectively. In addition, various phonon modes are evaluated to disclose the fundamental mechanisms of thermal transport in the lateral and flexural direction of the hetero-bilayer. These results are important in order to understand the heat transport phenomena of stanene/2D-SiC vdWH, which could be useful for enhancing their promising applications.
Leveraging the increased rates of pathologic complete response after neoadjuvant treatment in breast cancer to de‐escalate surgical treatments

Breast conservative surgery (BCS) and sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) after neoadjuvant treatment (NAT) is safe and effective for selected patients. This aim of this study is to evaluate the impact of anatomic site of response on outcomes and to assess the real population who may benefit from nonsurgical approaches after NAT.
Long noncoding RNA TCONS_00026334 is involved in suppressing the progression of colorectal cancer by regulating miR‑548n/TP53INP1 signaling pathway

Recently, long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) were recognized as significant therapeutic targets in tumors. Our previous microarray analysis showed that lncRNA TCONS_000026334 expression was reduced in metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) tissues. The objective of this study was to research the biological functions of TCONS_000026334 and the potential mechanism during the development of CRC. TCONS_00026334 transcription levels were detected in CRC tissues from 86 patients and different CRC cell lines. The clinical prognosis factors related to TCONS_00026334 expression were then analyzed. TCONS_000026334 was overexpressed from plasmid pcDNA3.1‐TCONS_ 000026334 or knocked down using a small interfering RNA (siRNA). Furthermore, bioinformatics approach and luciferase reporter gene assays were utilized to search for candidate miRNAs of TCONS_00026334 and identify the downstream target genes. The results indicated that TCONS_00026334 expression in 86 CRC tissues was markedly lower than that in non‐cancerous tissues. The aberrant expression of TCONS_00026334 correlated negatively with larger tumor size, distant metastasis, serological carcinoembryonic antigen level, and unfavorable survival of patients with CRC. TCONS_00026334 overexpression could inhibit the aggressive phenotypes of CRC in vitro and in vivo. Conversely, TCONS_00026334 silencing accelerated CRC cell proliferation and invasion. We then verified that TCONS_00026334 upregulated the expression level of TP53INP1, a target gene of miR‐548n, via direct binding to miR‐548n as a competing endogenous RNA. Taken together, our study showed that TCONS_00026334 acts as an anti‐tumor and anti‐metastatic gene by regulating the miR548n/TP53INP1 axis in the development of CRC.
Sleep quality, neurocognitive performance, and memory self-appraisal in middle-aged and older adults with memory complaints

ABSTRACT Objective: Because of inconsistent findings regarding the relationship between sleep quality and cognitive function in people with age-related memory complaints, we examined how self-reports of sleep quality were related to multiple domains of both objective and subjective cognitive function in middle-aged and older adults. Design: A cross-sectional study involving analysis of baseline data, collected as part of a clinical trial. Measurements: Two hundred and three participants (mean age = 60.4 [6.5] years, 69.0% female) with mild memory complaints were asked to rate their sleep quality using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and their memory performance using the Memory Functioning Questionnaire (MFQ), which measures self-awareness of memory ability. Neurocognitive performance was evaluated using the Continuous Performance Test (CPT), Trail Making Test, Buschke Selective Reminding Test, and the Brief Visuospatial Test – Revised (BVMT-R). Results: Total PSQI scores were significantly associated with objective measures of sustained attention (CPT hit reaction time by block and standard error by block) and subjective memory loss (MFQ frequency and seriousness of forgetting). The PSQI components of (poorer) sleep quality and (greater) sleep disturbance were related to (worse) sustained attention scores while increased sleep latency and daytime sleepiness were associated with greater frequency and seriousness of forgetting. Conclusions: Sleep quality is related to both objective measures of sustained attention and self-awareness of memory decline. These findings suggest that interventions for improving sleep quality may contribute not only to improving the ability to focus on a particular task but also in reducing memory complaints in middle-aged and older adults.
Synchrony of Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia in Parents and Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Moderation by Interaction Quality and Child Behavior Problems

Parent–child physiological synchrony, the matching of physiological states between parents and children, is theorized to be important for typically developing (TD) children, but less is known about this process in families of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In a sample of 29 children (M age = 8.00 years, SD = 1.51 years) with ASD and 39 TD‐matched children (M age = 7.32 years, SD = 1.36 years) and their primary caregivers (n = 68), we examined whether parent–child dyads showed physiological synchrony indexed by respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) during an interaction, and whether RSA synchrony differed by parent–child interaction quality and child behavior problems. Results indicated that dyads with TD children showed stronger positive RSA synchrony than dyads with children with ASD. Furthermore, for families of children with ASD, RSA synchrony was stronger in families with higher interaction quality and fewer child internalizing problems. These results provide preliminary evidence of parent–child RSA synchrony in families of children with ASD and identify factors that may influence this physiological process. Implications of these findings for social and emotional development in children with ASD are discussed.
Unveiling biases in soft‐tissue phosphatization: extensive preservation of musculature in the Cretaceous (Cenomanian) polychaete Rollinschaeta myoplena (Annelida: Amphinomidae)

The process of soft‐tissue phosphatization (the replication of labile tissues by calcium phosphate) is responsible for many instances of high‐resolution soft tissue preservation, often revealing anatomical insights into the animals that so preserved. However, while much work has gone into exploring key issues such as biases and micro‐controls, phosphatization remains poorly understood as a taphonomic process. Here, using camera lucida, plain‐light microscopy and SEM imagery, we address this issue by describing the taphonomy and fidelity of the musculature of Rollinschaeta myoplena Parry et al., a phosphatized annelid from the Cretaceous Konservat‐Lagerstätten of Hakel and Hjoula, Lebanon, with an unprecedented quantity of three‐dimensional soft‐tissue preservation. Analysis highlights two strong, previously recognized biases affecting the process of phosphatization: (1) a taxonomic bias restricted to R. myoplena that triggers unusually extensive phosphatization; and (2) a tissue bias whereby longitudinal and parapodial musculature show markedly higher fidelity in comparison to the musculature of the intestine and body wall circular muscles. Potential explanations for these biases include internal phosphate‐enrichment by relative muscle density, the relative rate of decay and the physiology of musculature. Incongruence between experimental decay series for polychaetes and the prevalence of labile tissue preservation over recalcitrant tissues in R. myoplena exposes the limits of decay experiments for understanding exceptional preservation.
The Effect of Maternal Physical Activity and Gestational Weight Gain on Placental Efficiency.

INTRODUCTION Adherence to physical activity (PA) and gestational weight gain (GWG) recommendations during pregnancy has been shown to improve maternal and fetal health outcomes, including reducing the risk for chronic diseases. Limited research has evaluated the effect of meeting PA in combination with GWG recommendations on placental efficiency (Pl-E), a surrogate marker of the placenta's ability to exchange nutrients and gas based on surface area. The purpose of this study was to measure and compare Pl-E based on meeting PA and GWG recommendations. METHOD Healthy pregnant women (n=61) wore accelerometers in their second and third trimester to objectively measure PA. Women were classified as active or inactive at each timepoint based on meeting the 2019 Canadian prenatal PA guidelines. Total GWG was calculated as weight measured in the third trimester minus self-reported pre-pregnancy weight, and categorized as insufficient (n=19), adequate (n=22), and excessive (n=20) according to the 2009 Institute of Medicine guidelines. Placental weight (PW) and birthweight (BW) were measured within 30 min of delivery and 24-48 hours post-delivery, respectively. Pl-E was determined in three ways: BW:PW ratio, residual BW, and measured BW, with a higher value indicating better Pl-E. Pl-E was compared by PA and GWG status using a two-way ANOVA. RESULTS No differences were found in the BW:PW ratio, or residual BW corresponding to PA and GWG status. Measured BW was significantly higher in newborns of women who gained weight excessively compared to those who gained insufficient weight (p<0.05). CONCLUSION These findings suggest that prenatal PA does not compromise Pl-E; however, further research is required to evaluate the potential mechanistic benefits of meeting PA and GWG guidelines on the placenta.
Neural Oscillations: Understanding a Neural Code of Pain

Neural oscillations play an important role in the integration and segregation of brain regions that are important for brain functions, including pain. Disturbances in oscillatory activity are associated with several disease states, including chronic pain. Studies of neural oscillations related to pain have identified several functional bands, especially alpha, beta, and gamma bands, implicated in nociceptive processing. In this review, we introduce several properties of neural oscillations that are important to understand the role of brain oscillations in nociceptive processing. We also discuss the role of neural oscillations in the maintenance of efficient communication in the brain. Finally, we discuss the role of neural oscillations in healthy and chronic pain nociceptive processing. These data and concepts illustrate the key role of regional and interregional neural oscillations in nociceptive processing underlying acute and chronic pains.
Comparison of Single and Multiple Turnovers of SecYEG in Escherichia coli

Vastly different experimental techniques and conditions have been used to study export in E. coli. We demonstrated that altering experimental conditions can change the step that is observed during study. Investigators should consider specific experimental conditions when comparing data from different laboratories, as well as when comparing data from different experiments within a laboratory. We have shown that each precursor species has inherent properties that determine the translocation rate; thus generalizations from studies of a single species must be made with caution. A summary of advantages and disadvantages in use of nine precursors is presented. ABSTRACT Precursor proteins are translocated across the cytoplasmic membrane in Escherichia coli by the general secretory, or Sec, pathway. The main components of the pathway are the integral membrane heterotrimeric SecYEG complex and the peripheral membrane ATPase, SecA. In this study, we have applied an in vitro assay using inverted cytoplasmic membrane vesicles to investigate the complex cycle that leads to translocation. We compared the apparent rate constants for nine precursors under two experimental conditions, single turnover and multiple turnovers. For each precursor, the rate constant for a single turnover was higher than for multiple turnovers, indicating that a different step limits the rate under the two conditions. We conclude that the rate-limiting step for a single turnover is an early step in the initial phase of transit through the channel, whereas the rate of multiple turnovers is limited by the resetting of the translocon. The presence of the chaperone SecB during multiple turnovers increased the maximal amplitude translocated for the three precursor species tested, pGBP, pPhoA, and proOmpA, and also increased the apparent rate constants for both pGBP and pPhoA. The rate constant for proOmpA was decreased by the presence of SecB. IMPORTANCE Vastly different experimental techniques and conditions have been used to study export in E. coli. We demonstrated that altering experimental conditions can change the step that is observed during study. Investigators should consider specific experimental conditions when comparing data from different laboratories, as well as when comparing data from different experiments within a laboratory. We have shown that each precursor species has inherent properties that determine the translocation rate; thus generalizations from studies of a single species must be made with caution. A summary of advantages and disadvantages in use of nine precursors is presented.
INTERACTION BETWEEN INVERSION POLYMORPHISMS OF TWO CHROMOSOME PAIRS IN THE GRASSHOPPER, MORABA SCURRA.

In studying the evolutionary dynamics of polymorphisms in natural populations, most of the work in the past has concentrated on single genetic entities. The Work of Dobzhansky and his collaborators on the inversion sequences in the third chromosome of Drosophila pseudoobscura, the studies of Lamotte (1951) on shell color and banding in the snail Cepaea nemorallis, and those of Allison (1955) on abnormal hemoglobins in man are examples of genetic studies of polymorphisms controlled by alleles at a single locus, or else by blocks of genes which act in heredity as single loci. A new order of complexity is introduced when an attempt is made to study simultaneously two or more segregating systems in the same population because of the possibility, indeed the probability, that the evolutionary fates of the different polymorphic systems are not independent. Such will be the case if there is interaction between the different loci in the determination of the fitness of various genotypes. For example, the fitness of individuals of the genetic constitution AA may be greater than those with the constitution aa if at a second locus these individuals are, let us say, BB; but this fitness relationship may be reversed in the presence of bb at the second locus. In such cases the polymorphisms A,a and B,b are not independent in their fates in the population. Levitan (1955, 1958) in his studies of the inversion polymorphisms of Drosophila robusta has evidence of a small interaction of this sort and Cain and Sheppard (1954a, 1954b) have found such interactions for shell color and banding in Cepaea nemoralis. One of the most favorable materials for the study of these interactions and their evolutionary consequences is the Australian grasshopper, Moraba scurra. In an earlier paper (White, 1957) evidence was presented that the pericentric inversions, carried on two different chromosome pairs in this species, are not combined at random in the adult male individuals of certain natural populations. The deviations from random combination were regarded as proof of a genetic interaction between the two systems of cytological polymorphism, so far as their effects on viability are concerned. The significance of this interaction effect has been discussed and a hypothesis as to how it could have arisen has been suggested (White, 1958). The present paper has two purposes. First we shall present added data on the interaction effect from recent collections. The data published previously relate to six adult male samples collected in 1955 and 1956 at various localities in South Eastern Australia. Further data on two of these populations (at Wombat, New South Wales, and Royalla "B," Australian Capital Territory) were obtained in 1958 and 1959. Statistical analysis of the more recent data provides
Integrated Membrane Process for the Treatment and Reuse of Residual Table Olive Fermentation Brine and Anaerobically Digested Sludge Centrate

Management of wastewater is a major challenge nowadays, due to increasing water demand, growing population and more stringent regulations on water quality. Wastewaters from food conservation are especially difficult to treat, since they have high salinity and high organic matter concentration. The aim of this work is the treatment of the effluent from a table olive fermentation process (FTOP) with the aim of reusing it once the organic matter is separated. The process proposed in this work consists of the following membrane-based technologies: Ultrafiltration (UF) (UP005, Microdyn Nadir), Forward Osmosis (FO) (Osmen2521, Hydration Technology Innovation) and Nanofiltration (NF) (NF245, Dow). The FO process was implemented to reduce the salinity entering the NF process, using the FTOP as draw solution and, at the same time, to concentrate the centrate produced in the sludge treatment of a municipal wastewater treatment plant with the aim of obtaining a stream enriched in nutrients. The UF step achieved the elimination of 50% of the chemical oxygen demand of the FTOP. The UF permeate was pumped to the FO system reducing the volume of the anaerobically digested sludge centrate (ADSC) by a factor of 3 in 6.5 h. Finally, the ultrafiltrated FTOP diluted by FO was subjected to NF. The transmembrane pressure needed in the NF stage was 40% lower than that required if the ultrafiltration permeate was directly nanofiltered. By means of the integrated process, the concentration of organic matter and phenolic compounds in the FTOP decreased by 97%. Therefore, the proposed process was able to obtain a treated brine that could be reused in other processes and simultaneously to concentrate a stream, such as the ADSC.