Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Feasibility of Live-Performed Music Therapy for Extremely and Very Preterm Infants in a Tertiary NICU

Objective: We aimed to investigate the feasibility of live-performed music therapy for extremely and very preterm infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), and their parents, starting the 1st−2nd week after birth. They may benefit from live-performed music therapy as comforting non-pharmacological intervention. Study Design: We included infants born before 30 weeks' gestation in a single center NICU study. Live-performed music therapy was provided three times per week, tailored to the infant's medical condition. Parents were actively involved. Feasibility was determined as a combination of participation, drop-out, overstimulation (based on COMFORT-Neo scores), and evaluations of the intervention by parents and nurses (using a questionnaire on perceived effects on the parent, their infant and the NICU sound environment). Results: We included 18 infants (90% participation rate), with a gestational age of median 27 weeks (IQR 26–28 weeks), 61% males. One infant (5.6%) dropped-out. Differences of COMFORT-Neo scores during and after sessions compared with before sessions were non-significant; overstimulation by music therapy did not occur. Parents reported high satisfaction (highest score possible of 7) with the interventions and reported improvements in both infant and their own respiratory rates. Nurses also reported high satisfaction with the intervention and perceived a quieter NICU sound environment during and after sessions. Conclusion: Live-performed music therapy for extremely and very preterm infants is feasible and well-tolerated, and is experienced as an added value to developmental care. Future studies should assess both short-term and long-term effects, to determine whether this intervention should be part of routine care at the NICU and whether it is most beneficial to start shortly after birth.
Characterization of the Poplar R2R3-MYB Gene Family and Over-Expression of PsnMYB108 Confers Salt Tolerance in Transgenic Tobacco

The MYB, one of the largest transcription factor families in plants, is related to various biological processes. For an example, the R2R3-MYB family plays an important role in regulation of primary and secondary metabolism, plant growth and development, and responses to hormones and stresses. However, functional studies on the poplar R2R3-MYB genes are limited. In this study, we identified 207 poplar R2R3-MYB genes that are unevenly distributed on the 19 chromosomes of poplar, followed by characterization of their conserved domains. On the basis of phylogenetic analysis, these genes can be divided into 23 groups. Evidence from synteny analyses indicated that the poplar R2R3-MYB gene family is featured by tandem and segmental duplication events. On the basis of RNA-Seq data, we investigated salt responsive genes and explored their expression patterns. Furthermore, we cloned the PsnMYB108 gene from poplar, which is significantly up-regulated in roots and leaves in response to salt stress. To validate its function, we developed transgenic tobacco plants that over-express the PsnMYB108 gene. It appears that the transgenic lines are more tolerant to salt stress than the wild type does. Evidence from physiological analyses demonstrated that over-expression of PsnMYB108 may improve tobacco salt stress tolerance by increasing the reactive oxygen species scavenging ability and the accumulation of proline. These results laid the foundation for future analysis and functional studies of poplar R2R3-MYB family members, and revealed that PsnMYB108 plays an important role in improving plant salt stress tolerance.
Catabolic Machinery of the Human Gut Microbes Bestow Resilience Against Vanillin Antimicrobial Nature

Vanillin is a phenolic food additive commonly used for flavor, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties. Though it is one of the widely used food additives, strategies of the human gut microbes to evade its antimicrobial activity await extensive elucidation. The current study explores the human gut microbiome with a multi-omics approach to elucidate its composition and metabolic machinery to counter vanillin bioactivity. A combination of SSU rRNA gene diversity, metagenomic RNA features diversity, phylogenetic affiliation of metagenome encoded proteins, uniformly (R = 0.99) indicates the abundance of Bacteroidetes followed by Firmicutes and Proteobacteria. Manual curation of metagenomic dataset identified gene clusters specific for the vanillin metabolism (ligV, ligK, and vanK) and intermediary metabolic pathways (pca and cat operon). Metagenomic dataset comparison identified the omnipresence of vanillin catabolic features across diverse populations. The metabolomic analysis brings forth the functionality of the vanillin catabolic pathway through the Protocatechuate branch of the beta-ketoadipate pathway. These results highlight the human gut microbial features and metabolic bioprocess involved in vanillin catabolism to overcome its antimicrobial activity. The current study advances our understanding of the human gut microbiome adaption toward changing dietary habits.
The Novel Omega-6 Fatty Acid Docosapentaenoic Acid Positively Modulates Brain Innate Immune Response for Resolving Neuroinflammation at Early and Late Stages of Humanized APOE-Based Alzheimer's Disease Models

Neuroinflammation plays a crucial role in the development and progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD), in which activated microglia are found to be associated with neurodegeneration. However, there is limited evidence showing how neuroinflammation and activated microglia are directly linked to neurodegeneration in vivo. Besides, there are currently no effective anti-inflammatory drugs for AD. In this study, we report on an effective anti-inflammatory lipid, linoleic acid (LA) metabolite docosapentaenoic acid (DPAn-6) treatment of aged humanized EFAD mice with advanced AD pathology. We also report the associations of neuroinflammatory and/or activated microglial markers with neurodegeneration in vivo. First, we found that dietary LA reduced proinflammatory cytokines of IL1-β, IL-6, as well as mRNA expression of COX2 toward resolving neuroinflammation with an increase of IL-10 in adult AD models E3FAD and E4FAD mice. Brain fatty acid assays showed a five to six-fold increase in DPAn-6 by dietary LA, especially more in E4FAD mice, when compared to standard diet. Thus, we tested DPAn-6 in aged E4FAD mice. After DPAn-6 was administered to the E4FAD mice by oral gavage for three weeks, we found that DPAn-6 reduced microgliosis and mRNA expressions of inflammatory, microglial, and caspase markers. Further, DPAn-6 increased mRNA expressions of ADCYAP1, VGF, and neuronal pentraxin 2 in parallel, all of which were inversely correlated with inflammatory and microglial markers. Finally, both LA and DPAn-6 directly reduced mRNA expression of COX2 in amyloid-beta42 oligomer-challenged BV2 microglial cells. Together, these data indicated that DPAn-6 modulated neuroinflammatory responses toward resolution and improvement of neurodegeneration in the late stages of AD models.
Hearables: New Perspectives and Pitfalls of In-Ear Devices for Physiological Monitoring. A Scoping Review

Technological advancements are opening the possibility of prolonged monitoring of physiological parameters under daily-life conditions, with potential applications in sport science and medicine, and in extreme environments. Among emerging wearable technologies, in-ear devices or hearables possess technical advantages for long-term monitoring, such as non-invasivity, unobtrusivity, good fixing, and reduced motion artifacts, as well as physiological advantages related to the proximity of the ear to the body trunk and the shared vasculature between the ear and the brain. The present scoping review was aimed at identifying and synthesizing the available evidence on the use and performance of in-ear monitoring of physiological parameters, with focus on applications in sport science, sport medicine, occupational medicine, and extreme environment settings. Pubmed, Scopus, and Web of Science electronic databases were systematically searched to identify studies conducted in the last 10 years and addressing the measurement of three main physiological parameters (temperature, heart rate, and oxygen saturation) in healthy subjects. Thirty-nine studies were identified, 24 performing temperature measurement, 12 studies on heart/pulse rate, and three studies on oxygen saturation. The collected evidence supports the premise of in-ear sensors as an innovative and unobtrusive way for physiological monitoring during daily-life and physical activity, but further research and technological advancement are necessary to ameliorate measurement accuracy especially in more challenging scenarios.
Myelin Water Imaging Demonstrates Lower Brain Myelination in Children and Adolescents With Poor Reading Ability

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provides a means to non-invasively investigate the neurological links with dyslexia, a learning disability that affects one’s ability to read. Most previous brain MRI studies of dyslexia and reading skill have used structural or diffusion imaging to reveal regional brain abnormalities. However, volumetric and diffusion MRI lack specificity in their interpretation at the microstructural level. Myelin is a critical neural component for brain function and plasticity, and as such, deficits in myelin may impact reading ability. MRI can estimate myelin using myelin water fraction (MWF) imaging, which is based on evaluation of the proportion of short T2 myelin-associated water from multi-exponential T2 relaxation analysis, but has not yet been applied to the study of reading or dyslexia. In this study, MWF MRI, intelligence, and reading assessments were acquired in 20 participants aged 10–18 years with a wide range of reading ability to investigate the relationship between reading ability and myelination. Group comparisons showed markedly lower MWF by 16–69% in poor readers relative to good readers in the left and right thalamus, as well as the left posterior limb of the internal capsule, left/right anterior limb of the internal capsule, left/right centrum semiovale, and splenium of the corpus callosum. MWF over the entire group also correlated positively with three different reading scores in the bilateral thalamus as well as white matter, including the splenium of the corpus callosum, left posterior limb of the internal capsule, left anterior limb of the internal capsule, and left centrum semiovale. MWF imaging from T2 relaxation suggests that myelination, particularly in the bilateral thalamus, splenium, and left hemisphere white matter, plays a role in reading abilities. Myelin water imaging thus provides a potentially valuable in vivo imaging tool for the study of dyslexia and its remediation.
Interactions of FK506 and Rapamycin With FK506 Binding Protein 12 in Opportunistic Human Fungal Pathogens

Over the past few decades advances in modern medicine have resulted in a global increase in the prevalence of fungal infections. Particularly people undergoing organ transplants or cancer treatments with a compromised immune system are at an elevated risk for lethal fungal infections such as invasive candidiasis, aspergillosis, cryptococcosis, etc. The emergence of drug resistance in fungal pathogens poses a serious threat to mankind and it is critical to identify new targets for the development of antifungals. Calcineurin and TOR proteins are conserved across eukaryotes including pathogenic fungi. Two small molecules FK506 and rapamycin bind to FKBP12 immunophilin and the resulting complexes (FK506-FKBP12 and rapamycin-FKBP12) target calcineurin and TOR, respectively in both humans and fungi. However, due to their immunosuppressive nature these drugs in the current form cannot be used as an antifungal. To overcome this, it is important to identify key differences between human and fungal FKBP12, calcineurin, and TOR proteins which will facilitate the development of new small molecules with higher affinity toward fungal components. The current review highlights FK506/rapamycin-FKBP12 interactions with calcineurin/TOR kinase in human and fungi, and development of non-immunosuppressive analogs of FK506, rapamycin, and novel small molecules in inhibition of fungal calcineurin and TOR kinase.
Weight Recession in Nestling Birds

IT has been noted in many species of birds that the weight of growing young increases to a peak above normal adult weight and then decreases before fledging. This phenomenon of weight recession (Edson, 1930) has been attributed to various causes (e.g., drying out of the feathers, high energy demands with rapid feather growth, starvation periods, decrease in the size of the digestive organs) but little evidence has been sought to support any of these hypotheses. This paper analyzes in detail the phenomenon of weight recession in nestling Barn Swallows (Hirundo rustica) and presents a general survey of the literature to determine the distribution of the phenomenon among avian groups.
The effect of variation in the laying interval on proximate determination of clutch size in the European Kestrel

I propose that if laying interval varies depending on daily energy intake, then laying interval should also play a basic role in the determination of clutch size. A supplemental feeding experiment with European Kestrels Falco tinnunculus was performed to test this hypothesis. Supplemented females laid larger clutches with shorter intervals between eggs than control females, but did not take longer to complete their clutches. Clutch size was negatively correlated with mean laying interval. Clutch size also declined seasonally, but the effect of laying date disappeared when laying interval was controlled for statistically. Therefore, food supply affected clutch size through laying interval, not through laying date.
Fern Hunting in Florida, in the Phosphate Country

About seven miles southwest of Inverness, the county seat of Citrus County, following the winding roads of the turpentine orchards and phosphate mines, one comes to a circular basin, whose gently sloping sides are broken by three or four groups of rocks, bearing a scanty growth of ferns, mostly Asplenium platyneuron and Dryopteris patens. In the center of the basin is a moist spot, with a few clumps of Woodwardia Virginica. But one of the rocks, the last to be found, is quite different. Almost hidden in the sloping bank appears a small cave, the earth above it bearing a luxuriant vine, whose leafy stems strung with snowy berries hang like a curtain over the entrance. A few irregular rocks form a rude stairway down to the mouth of the cave. Among these grow Dryopteris patens, Asplenium platyneuron, and A. parvulum. Overhead is a low arch of rock, completely covered with . the moss-like fronds of lletin, April, 1904, mentions Ophioglossum p sillum t. "This I once found growing abu dantly just t of Jacksonville in a damp sandy spo with Lud42
Changeability analysis for existing systems

ABSTRACT Changeability analysis is the practice of assessing a system’s ability to cope with future uncertainties in a broad sense. This paper reviews current changeability analysis methods and techniques and notes that they mostly apply to the design of new systems. Given the state of Australia’s Defence as buyers of off-the-shelf defence assets rather than designers, the state of current changeability analysis methods are assessed for their suitability to meet a set of predefined changeability analysis goals unique to existing systems. Novel extensions are proposed for observed shortfalls in current methods complimented by a theorised discussion of their aptness with application to existing systems. These extensions are intended to form part of future work on this topic.
Human Papillomavirus 16 (HPV16) and itûs E2 Polymorphisms in High-Grade Squamous Intraepithelial Lesion (HSIL) and Squamous Cell Carcinomas (SCC)

The E2 protein of HPV is the viral factor that binds to the specific sites on long control region of the viral genome to regulate genome replication and transcription of the viral oncogenes, E6 and E7. To determine the polymorphisms in the E2 DNA sequence and amino acid change in HPV16 episomal form, this study amplified and sequenced the E2 gene of HPV16 episomal form that selected from 241 paraffin-embedded tissues with HSIL and SCC. Results showed 91.70% of samples were positive for HPV DNA and HPV16 was the most common, 77.68% in HSIL and 85.83% in SCC. 13 of 40 positive HPV16 cases were found containing E2 episomal form that were classified mostly into As variant. Nucleotide and amino acid changes were demonstrated in 5 cases and mostly found in TAD of both HPV16 AA and As variant. These results suggested that polymorphisms of E2 protein may impair the transcriptional regulation of vial oncogenes that induce malignant transformation of HPV infected cell in episomal form.
Daily body-mass loss and nitrogen excretion during molting fast of Macaroni Penguins

SHORT, L. L. 1972. Hybridization, taxonomy and avian evolution. Ann. Mo. Bot. Gard. 59:447-453. TAYLOR, A. L. , AND E. D. FORSMAN. 1976. Recent range extensions of the Barred Owl in western North America, including the first records for Oregon. Condor 78:560-561. U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE. 1990. Determination of threatened status for the Northern Spotted Owl, Final rule. U.S. Federal Register 55(123): 26114-26194. Voous, K. H. 1989. Owls of the Northern Hemisphere. MIT Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Foraging behavior minimizes heat exposure in a complex thermal landscape

Ectotherms use specialized behavior to balance amelioration of environmental temperature stress against the need to forage. The intertidal snail Nucella ostrina risks aerial exposure at low tide to feed on the barnacle Balanus glandula. We hypothesized that N. ostrina foraging behavior would be constrained by duration and timing of low tide exposure. We added snails to intertidal blocks on San Juan Island, Washington, USA, and forced them to choose between barnacles placed on the western or eastern face of each block, or to shelter and forgo foraging. Snail behavior and barnacle mortality were monitored daily for 8 wk during summer 2011. N. ostrina foraging peaked every 2 wk, when temperature was minimized by tidal cycling. Low tide timing determined which substrate orientation was coolest and coincided with the proportion of snails foraging on one substrate face or the other: snails foraged on the western faces on days with morning low tides and on eastern faces on days with afternoon low tides. Barnacle consumption rates mirrored this spatiotemporal foraging pattern. Our conceptual model predicted mobile organism presence and location: snails foraged during the days of the tidal cycle least likely to be hot and selected the coolest available surface when foraging. These results suggest that N. ostrina alters foraging behavior to minimize risk of exposure to high temperatures or other emersion stresses. Consequently, predation on barnacles varies over space and time. This spatiotemporal behavior may buffer warming air temperatures and should be considered in models of coastal population and community dynamics.
Communication Tool for Disabled People Based on Surface Electromyography

Surface electromyography is a non-invasive method, which can be used not only for measuring and detecting abnormalities in the human body but also to create biofeedback in rehabilitation. This biofeedback can connect rehabilitation and computer science. Our research is aimed to create biofeedback using surface electromyography, which can help communication for disabled people. For this purpose, we created a simple communication tool, which is based on surface electromyography. Our proposed biofeedback is designed by Arduino Uno with the SpikerShield board, which is responsible for acquiring EMG signals. The software part of our biofeedback is formed in Arduino IDE and the graphical interface was composed in programming language C#. Our proposed communication tool is based on the intensity of muscle activity recorded from the muscle of interest.
DeepFCA: Matching Biomedical Ontologies Using Formal Concept Analysis Embedding Techniques

Biomedical ontologies contain target domain knowledge. In many cases, multiple ontologies are created independently for different purposes in the same biomedical domain. To fuse and extend existing knowledge, we need to find the corresponding entities (i.e. classes and properties) from different ontologies. Formal Concept Analysis (FCA) is a mature mathematical tool for biomedical ontology matching tasks and has achieved competitive performance. The FCA-based method mainly matches the ontologies through lexical tokens and structural information. This method ignores the inherent semantics of entities. On the other hand, representation learning techniques are widely used in different NLP tasks to capture the semantic similarity of words. In this paper, we propose a novel biomedical ontology matching method which we dub DeepFCA. We use pre-trained word vectors to initialize the vector representations onto which semantic information is inscribed. FCA embedding techniques are used to refine these vectors. DeepFCA combines FCA and word2vec methods to enhance the performance of biomedical ontology matching. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first attempt to apply FCA embedding techniques to biomedical ontology matching. Experiments on real-world biomedical ontologies show that DeepFCA improves the recall and F1-measure compared with the traditional FCA-based algorithm. It also achieves competitive performance compared with several state-of-the-art systems.
ORF–An Uncommon Human Presentation of a Rare Virus

Orf is a cylindrical virus which belongs to the Parapoxivirus genus. This virus is endemic to most countries in the world and is hosted by small ruminant. Most human’s Orf infections appear as ulcerating skin lesions following penetrating contact with the affected animal. The lesions typically appear as solitary papules on the hands, fingers and forearms. In most cases reported in the literature, the affected patient had been directly in contact with the host animal. Our unique case, is the first report in the literature where the human infection was not caused by direct contact with the animal host. Moreover, it affected highly unusual sites, like the neck and the chest.
Microsite and interspecific interactions affecting emergence of root-infesting pine weevils (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in Wisconsin

The seasonal emergence patterns of three root-infesting weevils of pine trees in Wisconsin were determined. Emergence periods were distinctly separated in the following sequence: Hylobius radicis Buchanan, Hylobius pales (Herbst), Pachylobius picivorus (Germar). The sex ratio for each weevil was 1:1, but the distribution of emerging adults per tree varied with species. Usually only one H. radicis emerged per tree, whereas the distribution of H. pales was much more clustered. Brood production within a site was directly related to elevation along a slope. This was probably caused by differential exposure to flooding. All three species can breed and develop successfully in the same tree concurrently, and there was no evidence of competition between the primary H. radicis and the secondary species. Co-occurrence generally facilitated development of the various species, suggesting that moderate-sized trees killed by H. radicis may provide a reservoir for development by H. pales and P. picivorus , which could then damage seedlings by adult feeding. Experiments with chemical lures confirm that only overwintered pine root weevils respond to olfactory cues in Wisconsin.