Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Wearable Mixed Reality Platform to Augment Overground Walking: A Feasibility Study

Humans routinely modify their walking speed to adapt to functional goals and physical demands. However, damage to the central nervous system (CNS) often results in abnormal modulation of walking speed and increased risk of falls. There is considerable interest in treatment modalities that can provide safe and salient training opportunities, feedback about walking performance, and that may augment less reliable sensory feedback within the CNS after injury or disease. Fully immersive virtual reality technologies show benefits in boosting training-related gains in walking performance; however, they lack views of the real world that may limit functional carryover. Augmented reality and mixed reality head-mount displays (MR-HMD) provide partially immersive environments to extend the virtual reality benefits of interacting with virtual objects but within an unobstructed view of the real world. Despite this potential advantage, the feasibility of using MR-HMD visual feedback to promote goal-directed changes in overground walking speed remains unclear. Thus, we developed and evaluated a novel mixed reality application using the Microsoft HoloLens MR-HMD that provided real-time walking speed targets and augmented visual feedback during overground walking. We tested the application in a group of adults not living with disability and examined if they could use the targets and visual feedback to walk at 85%, 100%, and 115% of each individual’s self-selected speed. We examined whether individuals were able to meet each target gait speed and explored differences in accuracy across repeated trials and at the different speeds. Additionally, given the importance of task-specificity to therapeutic interventions, we examined if walking speed adjustment strategies were consistent with those observed during usual overground walking, and if walking with the MR-HMD resulted in increased variability in gait parameters. Overall, participants matched their overground walking speed to the target speed of the MR-HMD visual feedback conditions (all p-values > 0.05). The percent inaccuracy was approximately 5% across all speed matching conditions and remained consistent across walking trials after the first overall walking trial. Walking with the MR-HMD did not result in more variability in walking speed, however, we observed more variability in stride length and time when walking with feedback from the MR-HMD compared to walking without feedback. The findings offer support for mixed reality-based visual feedback as a method to provoke goal-specific changes in overground walking behavior. Further studies are necessary to determine the clinical safety and efficacy of this MR-HMD technology to provide extrinsic sensory feedback in combination with traditional treatments in rehabilitation.
Efficient algorithms for discovering importance-based communities in large web-scale networks

k-core is a notion capturing the cohesiveness of a subgraph in a social network graph. Most of current research works only consider pure network graphs and neglect an important property of the nodes: influence. Li, Qin, Yu, and Mao [PVLDB’15] introduced a novel community model called “k-influential community” which is based on the concept of k-core enhanced with node influence values. In this model, we are interested not only in subgraphs that are well-connected, but also have a high lowerbound on their influence. More precisely, we are interested in finding top r (with respect to influence), k-core communities. We present novel approaches that provide an impressive scalability in solving the problem for graphs of billions of edges using only a consumer-grade machine.
Cambioxylophagous Pests of Scots Pine: Ecological Physiology of European Populations—A Review

Climatic extremes have been gathering momentum since the 1880s and are believed to be a long-term factor increasing the mortality of Scots pine trees, Pinus sylvestris (L.) in Europe. Weather monitoring over the past 120 years shows that, in Central Europe, surface air temperatures grow at a rate of 0.18°C per decade. Many changes due to these abiotic stressors are already visible in the forests’ canopy and biodiversity. But the influence of the rise in temperature and in precipitation deficiency brings one more player into this die-back scheme. Bark beetles, and their increasing outbreaks, are further agents acting to accelerate and expand the impacts of weather on trees. While P. sylvestris react to abiotic stressors by decreasing functions of the hydraulic system, mainly the defense system, for bark beetles, warming is a profitable condition. Various bionomy processes are modified: vegetation seasons prolong, larval growth and development rates accelerate, reproductive potential rises, and overwintering success increases. Thus, the insect populations grow, and the infestation pressure on weakened hosts intensifies. Finally, even species of small ecologic importance can cause extensive losses of forest cover. Furthermore, international trade and intercontinental transportation support the potential threat of spreading forest pests far away from their original geographic range. Together with climatic amelioration, pests may adapt to new conditions, establish new prosperous populations, disperse rapidly, and cause prodigious losses. However, detailed information about cambioxylophagous pests on P. sylvestris in Central Europe is still missing. The purpose of our review is to map the bionomy and behavior of six bark beetle species—in particular, the sharp-dentated bark beetle, Ips acuminatus (Gyllenhal, 1827), the six-toothed bark beetle, Ips sexdentatus (Börner, 1767), the common pine shoot beetle, Tomicus piniperda (Linnaeus, 1758), the lesser pine shoot beetle, Tomicus minor (Hartig, 1834), the pine shoot beetle, Tomicus destruens (Wollaston, 1865), the Mediterranean pine engraver, Orthotomicus erosus (Wollaston, 1857) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae), and the steel-blue jewel beetle, Phaenops cyanea (Fabricius, 1775) (Coleoptera: Buprestidae)—on P. sylvestris in Central Europe, to compare and summarize the available data on European populations, and to try to propose ideas and directions for future research.
Odor-Pollution From Fungicides Disrupts Learning and Recognition of a Common Floral Scent in Bumblebees (Bombus impatiens)

Background and Aims Bumblebees provide vital pollination services to both natural and agricultural ecosystems. Consequently their declines in species-diversity and population size over the last five decades is alarming. Direct contributors to these declines include pesticides, habitat loss, and disease. However, given that colony fitness is linked to foraging success, successful conservation requires mitigation of any anthropogenic practices that negatively impact foraging. Previous work has shown that agrochemical odor-pollution, including that of fungicides, can modulate bumblebee foraging behavior. This study investigates how odor pollution from three common fungicides (Safer® Brand Garden Fungicide II, Scotts® Lawn Fungus Control, and Reliant® Systemic Fungicide) affects Bombus impatiens’ floral-odor learning and recognition using an associative learning paradigm. Methods The effects of fungicide-odor pollution were tested in three ways: (1) background pollution during floral-odor learning; (2) background pollution during floral-odor recognition; and (3) point (localized) pollution during floral-odor recognition. Electroantennogram (EAG) recordings from B. impatiens confirmed the salience of all odor-stimuli and examined impacts of background fungicide-odor on antennal responses to floral-odor. To better understand how fungicide-odor structure related to behavioral data, scents were sampled (Solid Phase Microextraction) and analyzed using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Odors were then characterized using the Compounds Without Borders (CWB) vectorization method. Conclusion All fungicides tested disrupted floral-odor learning and recognition for at least one concentration tested, and Scotts® was universally disruptive at all tested concentrations. All fungicides induced EAG responses, indicating they provide perceivable odor stimuli. Interestingly, two of three tested fungicides (Scotts® and Reliant®) inhibit antennal responses to Monarda fistulosa odor. Odor characterization supports previous findings that sulfurous scents could be disruptive to odor-driven foraging behaviors. Inability for foraging bumblebees to associate to rewarding floral odors in the presence of fungicidal odor pollution could have negative large-scale implications for colony health and reproductive fitness.
Association of Carbapenemase-Producing Enterobacterales Detected in Stream and Clinical Samples

Background The spread of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) strains has caused treatment failure and is a worldwide threat to public health. However, there are limited reports on the prevalence of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales (CPE) in aquatic environments and its association with clinical isolates. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of CPE in a stream environment and its genetic relationship with clinical isolates in Korea. Methods A total of 4,582 water samples were collected from 94 streams. Multiplex PCR and sequencing were used to detect and identify six carbapenemase genes. Multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) was performed to investigate the genetic relatedness between the environmental strains and clinical isolates. Results A total of 133 CRE strains were isolated from the streams. Klebsiella pneumoniae was the most common CRE (45.9%), followed by Enterobacter cloacae complex (29.3%), Escherichia coli (13.5%), Raoultella ornithinolytica (5.3%), and Citrobacter freundii (2.3%). Ninety (67.7%) isolates carried carbapenemase genes. K. pneumoniae carbapenemase-2 (36.7%) and New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase-5 (32.2%) were the common carbapenemases detected. Sequence type (ST)307 and ST11 K. pneumoniae strains harboring the blaKPC-2 gene were the most prevalent in stream and patient samples. Conclusion CPE was highly prevalent in streams and closely related to the isolates obtained from patients. Therefore, continuous monitoring of stream environments is required to control the spread of carbapenem resistance.
Effects of Organochlorine Pesticide Residues in Maternal Body on Infants

There are many organochlorine pollutants in the environment, which can be directly or indirectly exposed to by mothers, and as estrogen endocrine disruptors can cause damage to the lactation capacity of the mammary gland. In addition, because breast milk contains a lot of nutrients, it is the most important food source for new-born babies. If mothers are exposed to organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), the lipophilic organochlorine contaminants can accumulate in breast milk fat and be passed to the infant through breast milk. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate organochlorine contaminants in human milk to estimate the health risks of these contaminants to breastfed infants. In addition, toxic substances in the mother can also be passed to the fetus through the placenta, which is also something we need to pay attention to. This article introduces several types of OCPs, such as dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), methoxychlor (MXC), hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH), endosulfan, chlordane, heptachlorand and hexachlorobenzene (HCB), mainly expounds their effects on women’s lactation ability and infant health, and provides reference for maternal and infant health. In addition, some measures and methods for the control of organochlorine pollutants are also described here.
Arterial Stiffness, Biomarkers of Liver Fat, and the Development of Metabolic Dysfunction in Metabolically Healthy Population: A Prospective Study

Background Metabolic dysfunction is known to be associated with arterial stiffness. However, the risks of metabolic syndrome and diabetes due to arterial stiffness and the potential mechanism remain unclear. We aimed to investigate the association of arterial stiffness with the risk of metabolic syndrome and diabetes, and determine whether this association is mediated by liver fat. Methods A prospective study was conducted with 4,139 Chinese adults who were metabolically healthy at baseline. Arterial stiffness was measured by brachial–ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV). Obesity was defined as body mass index ≥25 kg/m2. The primary outcomes were incident metabolic syndrome and diabetes. Results During a median follow-up of 4.4 years, 1,022 (24.7%) and 354 (9.5%) participants developed metabolic syndrome and diabetes, respectively. Compared with those in the lowest quartile of baPWV, participants in the highest quartile had 85 and 91% higher risks of metabolic syndrome and diabetes [risk ratio (RR) 1.85, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.41, 2.42 for metabolic syndrome; RR 1.91, 95% CI 1.16, 3.15 for diabetes]. Mediation analyses indicated that fatty liver significantly mediated the association of arterial stiffness with metabolic syndrome and diabetes risk. Specifically, 18.4% of metabolic syndrome and 12.6% of diabetes risk due to arterial stiffness were mediated through fatty liver. Conclusions Arterial stiffness was associated with higher risks of metabolic syndrome and diabetes in individuals with obesity. This association may be partially mediated by fatty liver.
Impact of Probiotics on Dairy Production Efficiency

There has been growing interest on probiotics to enhance weight gain and disease resistance in young calves and to improve the milk yield in lactating animals by reducing the negative energy balance during the peak lactation period. While it has been well established that probiotics modulate the microbial community composition in the gastrointestinal tract, and a probiotic-mediated homeostasis in the rumen could improve feed conversation competence, volatile fatty acid production and nitrogen flow that enhances the milk composition as well as milk production, detailed changes on the molecular and metabolic level prompted by probiotic feed additives are still not understood. Moreover, as living biotherapeutic agents, probiotics have the potential to directly change the gene expression profile of animals by activating the signalling cascade in the host cells. Various direct and indirect components of probiotic approaches to improve the productivity of dairy animals are discussed in this review.
Quality Control System of Red Jujube by Hybrid Model: Development of an Efficient Framework

Food traceability is very important for the quality and safety of agricultural products, which is related to the people’s livelihood and national economy and has drawn great attention from governments and scientists around the world. The existing studies have not yet overcome the crisis characteristics comprehensively and systematically. A traceability system of red jujube is constructed by a hybrid mode of blockchain and the Internet of Things (IoTs). The system integrates the blockchain and the IoT technologies with characteristics of tamper-proof, decentralization, and distributed storage and solves the problem of date quality traceability by designing the technical process and architecture of date quality traceability and the big data of red jujube, jujube plantation, processing enterprise, commercial enterprises, and market administration. The whole process from planting to processing and sales of red jujube are recorded in the block to ensure the realization of quality traceability of red dates in the process. Through the whole process of big data processing, the key information collected in each process is stored in the database to ensure the realization of quality traceability of red dates in the framework. The system can help to minimize the production and distribution of unsafe or poor-quality products, thereby minimizing the potential for bad publicity, liability, and recalls.
Increased Coastal Nutrient Loading Enhances Reproductive Intensity of Zostera marina: Implications for Seagrass Meadow Resilience

Because sexual reproduction is essential for the establishment and persistence of seagrass meadows, flowering intensity is an important trait that influences the resilience and stability of seagrass populations. Although the effects of excessive coastal nutrient loading on seagrass vegetative growth have been extensively documented, the effects on seagrass reproductive phenology and intensity remain unclear. To examine the reproductive responses of seagrass populations to increased coastal nutrient loading, the flowering phenology and intensity of Zostera marina were compared between sites with high-nutrient, low-light conditions (Deukryang Bay and Dongdae Bay) and low-nutrient, high-light conditions (Koje Bay) on the southern coast of Korea. Nutrient contents of the above- and below-ground tissues of Z. marina reflected in situ nutrient and light availability at the study sites. Reproductive shoot density and biomass, as well as flowering frequency and reproductive effort, were much higher (1.5–4.6-fold) at the high-nutrient, low-light study sites of Deukryang Bay and Dongdae Bay than at the low-nutrient, high-light site of Koje Bay. Consequently, potential seed production was higher in Deukryang Bay and Dongdae Bay than in Koje Bay. Chronic high-nutrient and low-light conditions significantly increased the reproductive intensity of Z. marina, supporting the persistence and resilience of Z. marina populations. The results of this study could provide insights into the conservation and management of seagrass meadows under increased coastal nutrient loading.
Dopamine Increases the Intrinsic Excitability of Parvalbumin-Expressing Fast-Spiking Cells in the Piriform Cortex

The piriform cortex (PCx) is essential for the adaptive processing of olfactory information. Neuromodulatory systems, including those utilizing serotonin, acetylcholine, noradrenaline, and dopamine, innervate and regulate neuronal activity in the PCx. Previous research has demonstrated the importance of acetylcholine, noradrenaline and serotonin in odor learning and memory. In contrast, the role of dopamine in the PCx remains under-explored. Here we examined how dopamine modulates the intrinsic electrical properties of identified classes of neurons in the PCx. We found that dopamine had no consistent effect on the intrinsic electrical properties of two types of glutamatergic neurons (semilunar and superficial pyramidal cells) or three types of GABAergic interneurons (horizontal, neurogliaform and somatastatin-expressing regular-spiking cells). However, dopamine had a striking effect on the intrinsic excitability of the parvalbumin-expressing fast-spiking (FS) class of GABAergic interneuron. Dopamine depolarized the resting potential, increased the input resistance and increased the firing frequency of FS cells. Co-application of dopamine with the D1-class dopamine receptor antagonist SCH 23390 blocked the effects of dopamine modulation on FS cells. Conversely, co-application of dopamine with the D2-class antagonist RS-(±)-sulpiride had no effect on dopamine modulation of these cells. Our results indicate that dopamine binds to D1-class dopamine receptors to increase the intrinsic excitability of FS cells. These findings suggest that dopamine has a highly targeted effect in the PCx and reveal how dopamine may modulate the balance between excitation and inhibition, with consequences for odor processing. In addition, our findings provide clues for understanding why neurodegenerative disorders that modify the dopamine system, such as Parkinson’s disease, have a deleterious effect on the sense of smell, and may suggest novel diagnostics for the early detection of such disorders.
Highly Stable Indium‐Gallium‐Zinc‐Oxide Thin‐Film Transistors on Deformable Softening Polymer Substrates

Flexible electronics are attracting great interest in healthcare, where devices such as thin‐film transistors (TFTs) on polymer substrates facilitate biomedical applications requiring complex circuits in soft packages. Consequently, a repeatable process to fabricate reliable, stable electronic components on flexible substrates is required. Here, thermoset thiol‐ene/acrylate shape memory polymer (SMP) substrates house indium‐gallium‐zinc‐oxide (IGZO) TFTs and logic circuits: resulting devices exhibit stable behavior after thermal annealing at 250 °C. Fabricated, annealed devices exhibit an average mobility of 15 ± 2.5 cm2 V−1 s−1 and show stability after bending and soaking in aqueous media. TFTs on SMPs are studied after mechanical bending tests with radii of curvature of 5 mm for 104 cycles over a 4 h time period. Other TFTs are soaked in phosphate‐buffered saline solution at 37 °C for 1 week. Logic inverter circuits using IGZO TFTs on SMPs represent the ability to add complex circuitry onto thin film flexible electronics. This technology can enable a new generation of implantable devices for research in healthcare fields.
Ten Rules for the Management of Moderate and Severe Traumatic Brain Injury During Pregnancy: An Expert Viewpoint

Moderate and severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) are major causes of disability and death. In addition, when TBI occurs during pregnancy, it can lead to miscarriage, premature birth, and maternal/fetal death, engendering clinical and ethical issues. Several recommendations have been proposed for the management of TBI patients; however, none of these have been specifically applied to pregnant women, which often have been excluded from major trials. Therefore, at present, evidence on TBI management in pregnant women is limited and mostly based on clinical experience. The aim of this manuscript is to provide the clinicians with practical suggestions, based on 10 rules, for the management of moderate to severe TBI during pregnancy. In particular, we firstly describe the pathophysiological changes occurring during pregnancy; then we explore the main strategies for the diagnosis of TBI taking in consideration the risks related to mother and fetus, and finally we discuss the most appropriate approaches for the management in this particular condition. Based on the available evidence, we suggest a stepwise approach consisting of different tiers of treatment and we describe the specific risks according to the severity of the neurological and systemic conditions of both fetus and mother in relation to each trimester of pregnancy. The innovative feature of this approach is the fact that it focuses on the vulnerability and specificity of this population, without forgetting the current knowledge on adult non-pregnant patients, which has to be applied to improve the quality of the care process.