Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Validated Unsteady Computational Fluid Dynamic Analysis of an Oscillating Bio-Inspired Airfoil

An unsteady, two-dimensional numerical study was conducted to investigate the aerodynamic and flow characteristics of a bio-inspired corrugated airfoil oscillating at 2Hz with an amplitude of 10°. The upstream flow was set such that the chord Re = 14,000. The computational results were validated against experimental results from a 2D particle image velocimetry (PIV) experiment on the same airfoil geometry. Complex flow structures such as the formation and shedding of trailing edge vortices have been revealed to have significant impacts on the lift and drag characteristics of the airfoil in oscillating motion. The shed vortices provide a low pressure region on the top surface of the airfoil throughout the period of oscillation, thus increasing lift of the airfoil. In particular, vortices formed and shed from the rear-most corrugation appear to have the largest effect. The pitch-down motion produces a lower absolute peak lift as compared the pitch-up motion which may be explained by the disruption of the high pressure zone on the top surface of the airfoil by a vortex forming in the corrugations. This results in a relatively lower high pressure region on the advancing side as compared to the pitch-up motion. In addition to the lift calculations, drag calculations indicate that net thrust is being produced during the oscillations and more thrust is produced on the pitch-up than the pitch-down motion.
Autonomic regions of the brainstem show a sex-specific inflammatory response to systemic neonatal lipopolysaccharide

Early life inflammation has been linked to long-term deficits in the central nervous system in relation to behavioural disorders, but it is now becoming more apparent it can also lead to autonomic dysfunction. The brainstem contains all critical control centres for autonomic homeostasis, so we used the well-established model of neonatal lipopolysaccharide (LPS) exposure to examine the immediate and long-term impacts of systemic inflammation on the autonomic regions of the brainstem. Wistar rats were injected with LPS or saline on postnatal days 3 and 5, with sacrifices made on postnatal days 7 and 90. At both timepoints inflammatory mediators were assessed in the brainstem via RT-qPCR and microglia were characterised by immunofluorescence in the autonomic regions of the brainstem. In the brainstem there was a distinct sex-specific response of all measured inflammatory mediators at both ages, as well as significant neonatal sex differences in inflammatory mediators at baseline. AT both ages, microglial morphology had a significant change to branch length and soma size in a sex-specific manner, which strongly indicate a significant effect of neonatal immune activation. This data not only highlights the strong sex-specific response of neonates to LPS administration, but also the significant impact on the brainstem in adulthood.
Alterations in the Mammary Gland and Tumor Microenvironment of Formerly Obese Mice

Obesity is a risk factor for breast cancer, and women with obesity that develop breast cancer have a worsened prognosis. Within the mammary gland, obesity causes chronic, macrophage-driven inflammation and adipose tissue fibrosis. To examine the impact of weight loss on the mammary microenvironment, mice were fed high-fat diet to induce obesity, then switched to a low-fat diet. In formerly obese mice, we observed reduced numbers of crown-like structures and fibrocytes in mammary glands, while collagen deposition was not resolved with weight loss. Following transplant of TC2 tumor cells into the mammary glands of lean, obese, and formerly obese mice, diminished collagen deposition and cancer-associated fibroblasts were observed in tumors from formerly obese mice compared to obese mice. When TC2 tumor cells were mixed with CD11b+CD34+ myeloid progenitor cells, collagen deposition within the tumors was significantly greater compared to when tumor cells were mixed with CD11b+CD34- monocytes, suggesting that fibrocytes contribute to early collagen deposition in mammary tumors of obese mice. Overall, these studies show that weight loss resolved some of the microenvironmental conditions within the mammary gland that may contribute to tumor progression.
Temporal Changes in The Proanthocyanidins to Anthocyanins Ratio During Dormancy Associate with Bloom Time Variations in Peach

This study provides a thorough exploration of the mechanisms regulating the onset of flowering in peach trees, a process principally governed by bud-dormancy. We applied untargeted metabolomics combined with a comprehensive series of molecular and biochemical experiments to scrutinize the variations in bloom times among different peach cultivars. The impact of exogenous chemical stimuli, specifically ethephon (ET) and abscisic acid (ABA), on bloom times was also evaluated. Our study revealed that the ET-induced delay in bloom time was associated with higher levels of proanthocyanidin (PA) compared to anthocyanins (ACNs) during endodormancy. Furthermore, fluctuations in the PA/ACNs ratio during dormancy demonstrated a strong correlation with the chill requirements and bloom dates of 12 distinct peach genotypes. The research further uncovers the crucial role of ABA in regulating the biosynthesis of PAs and ACNs during peach tree dormancy. Intriguingly, the exogenous application of ABA during endodormancy resulted in a reduction of PA content, leading to an earlier bloom time. We also observed variations in DAM gene expression between early- and late-blooming cultivars. The late-blooming cultivars exhibited higher transcript levels of DAM genes, elevated PA levels, and lower ABA levels compared to their early-blooming counterparts. Importantly, our study proposes PAs and ACNs as quantitative marker metabolites for endo- and ecodormancy phases. This innovative finding paves the way for developing more accurate chill and heat requirement models, thereby enabling a more precise understanding and projection of the impacts of global climate change on the phenology of tree fruit species.
Visual mental imagery in typical imagers and in aphantasia: A millimeter-scale 7-T fMRI study

Most of us effortlessly describe visual objects, whether seen or remembered. Yet, around 4% of people report congenital aphantasia: they struggle to visualize objects despite being able to describe their visual appearance. What neural mechanisms create this disparity between subjective experience and objective performance? Aphantasia can provide novel insights into conscious processing and awareness. We used ultra-high field 7T fMRI to establish the neural circuits involved in visual mental imagery and perception, and to elucidate the neural mechanisms associated with the processing of internally generated visual information in the absence of imagery experience in congenital aphantasia. Ten typical imagers and 10 aphantasic individuals performed imagery and perceptual tasks in five domains: object shape, object color, written words, faces, and spatial relationships. In typical imagers, imagery tasks activated left-hemisphere fronto-parietal areas, the relevant domain-preferring areas in the ventral temporal cortex partly overlapping with the perceptual domain-preferring areas, and a domain-general area in the left fusiform gyrus (the Fusiform Imagery Node). In aphantasic individuals, imagery activated similar areas, but the Fusiform Imagery Node was functionally disconnected from fronto-parietal areas. Our results unveil the domain-general and domain-specific circuits of visual mental imagery, their functional disorganization in aphantasia, and support the general hypothesis that conscious visual experience - whether perceived or imagined - depends on the integrated activity of high-level visual cortex and fronto-parietal networks.
Botulinum toxin A decreases neural activity in pain-related brain regions in individuals with chronic ocular pain and photophobia

Introduction To examine the effect of botulinum toxin A (BoNT-A) on neural mechanisms underlying pain and photophobia using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in individuals with chronic ocular pain. Methods Twelve subjects with chronic ocular pain and light sensitivity were recruited from the Miami Veterans Affairs eye clinic. Inclusion criteria were: (1) chronic ocular pain; (2) presence of ocular pain over 1 week recall; and (3) presence of photophobia. All individuals underwent an ocular surface examination to capture tear parameters before and 4–6 weeks after BoNT-A injections. Using an event-related fMRI design, subjects were presented with light stimuli during two fMRI scans, once before and 4–6 weeks after BoNT-A injection. Light evoked unpleasantness ratings were reported by subjects after each scan. Whole brain blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) responses to light stimuli were analyzed. Results At baseline, all subjects reported unpleasantness with light stimulation (average: 70.8 ± 32.0). Four to six weeks after BoNT-A injection, unpleasantness scores decreased (48.1 ± 33.6), but the change was not significant. On an individual level, 50% of subjects had decreased unpleasantness ratings in response to light stimulation compared to baseline (“responders,” n = 6), while 50% had equivalent (n = 3) or increased (n = 3) unpleasantness (“non-responders”). At baseline, several differences were noted between responders and non-responders; responders had higher baseline unpleasantness ratings to light, higher symptoms of depression, and more frequent use of antidepressants and anxiolytics, compared to non-responders. Group analysis at baseline displayed light-evoked BOLD responses in bilateral primary somatosensory (S1), bilateral secondary somatosensory (S2), bilateral anterior insula, paracingulate gyrus, midcingulate cortex (MCC), bilateral frontal pole, bilateral cerebellar hemispheric lobule VI, vermis, bilateral cerebellar crus I and II, and visual cortices. BoNT-A injections significantly decreased light evoked BOLD responses in bilateral S1, S2 cortices, cerebellar hemispheric lobule VI, cerebellar crus I, and left cerebellar crus II. BoNT-A responders displayed activation of the spinal trigeminal nucleus at baseline where non-responders did not. Discussion BoNT-A injections modulate light-evoked activation of pain-related brain systems and photophobia symptoms in some individuals with chronic ocular pain. These effects are associated with decreased activation in areas responsible for processing the sensory-discriminative, affective, dimensions, and motor responses to pain.
Noise Reduction In Data Using Polynomial Regression

-Noise is common in data which hinders the data analysis. We consider noise as lowlevel data errors or objects that are irrelevant to data analysis. Data cleaning technique reduces the low-level data errors but not irrelevant objects. To reduce both types of noise there are three traditional outlier detection techniques distance-based, clustering-based, and an approach based on the Local Outlier Factor (LOF) of an object. In this paper we introduce a new method for noise reduction using polynomial regression and spearman’s rank correlation coefficient ρ. This approach allows a high recognition of noise with low false rate.
Altered resting-state functional connectivity patterns in late middle-aged and older adults with obstructive sleep apnea

Introduction Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is increasingly recognized as a risk factor for cognitive decline, and has been associated with structural brain alterations in regions relevant to memory processes and Alzheimer’s disease. However, it is unclear whether OSA is associated with disrupted functional connectivity (FC) patterns between these regions in late middle-aged and older populations. Thus, we characterized the associations between OSA severity and resting-state FC between the default mode network (DMN) and medial temporal lobe (MTL) regions. Second, we explored whether significant FC changes differed depending on cognitive status and were associated with cognitive performance. Methods Ninety-four participants [24 women, 65.7 ± 6.9 years old, 41% with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI)] underwent a polysomnography, a comprehensive neuropsychological assessment and a resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). General linear models were conducted between OSA severity markers (i.e., the apnea-hypopnea, oxygen desaturation and microarousal indices) and FC values between DMN and MTL regions using CONN toolbox. Partial correlations were then performed between OSA-related FC patterns and (i) OSA severity markers in subgroups stratified by cognitive status (i.e., cognitively unimpaired versus MCI) and (ii) cognitive scores in the whole sample. All analyzes were controlled for age, sex and education, and considered significant at a p < 0.05 threshold corrected for false discovery rate. Results In the whole sample, a higher apnea-hypopnea index was significantly associated with lower FC between (i) the medial prefrontal cortex and bilateral hippocampi, and (ii) the left hippocampus and both the posterior cingulate cortex and precuneus. FC patterns were not associated with the oxygen desaturation index, or micro-arousal index. When stratifying the sample according to cognitive status, all associations remained significant in cognitively unimpaired individuals but not in the MCI group. No significant associations were observed between cognition and OSA severity or OSA-related FC patterns. Discussion OSA severity was associated with patterns of lower FC in regions relevant to memory processes and Alzheimer’s disease. Since no associations were found with cognitive performance, these FC changes could precede detectable cognitive deficits. Whether these FC patterns predict future cognitive decline over the long-term needs to be investigated.
Results of Lung Transplantation for Cystic Fibrosis With Selected Donors Over 65 Years Old

Lung transplantation is limited by the shortage of suitable donors. Many programs have begun to use extended criteria donors. Donors over 65 years old are rarely reported, especially for young cystic fibrosis recipients. This monocentric study was conducted for cystic fibrosis recipients from January 2005 to December 2019, comparing two cohorts according to lung donor age (<65 years or ≥65 years). The primary objective was to assess the survival rate at 3 years using a Cox multivariable model. Of the 356 lung recipients, 326 had donors under 65 years, and 30 had donors over 65 years. Donors’ characteristics did not differ significantly in terms of sex, time on mechanical ventilation before retrieval, and partial pressure of arterial oxygen/fraction of inspired oxygen ratio. There were no significant differences in post-operative mechanical ventilation duration and incidence of grade 3 primary graft dysfunction between the two groups. At 1, 3, and 5 years, the percentage of predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 s (p = 0.767) and survival rate did not differ between groups (p = 0.924). The use of lungs from donors over 65 years for cystic fibrosis recipients allows extension of the donor pool without compromising results. Longer follow-up is needed to assess the long-term effects of this practice. Graphical Abstract
Global drivers of timber carbon stock from income-based perspective

Introduction: Timber and its products are key carriers of carbon stocks and can cause a hysteresis effect of carbon release in the carbon cycle of forest ecosystems. The literature regarding the cross-regional flow of timber carbon stock mainly pays attention to production- and consumption-based perspectives, which cannot reflect how the primary inputs drive timber carbon stock flow. The income-based perspective accounting can identify the influence of primary input suppliers and supplement research on timber carbon stock embodied in trade. The goal of this paper is to explore the cross-regional flow of global timber carbon stock and identify the critical countries from an income-based perspective. Methods: We used the Ghosh-multi-regional input-output (MRIO) model to calculate the income-based timber carbon stock flow among 190 countries. Furthermore, combined with the Leontief-MRIO model, a comparative analysis is carried out to analyze the different results of the income-based, production-based, and consumption-based methods. Results: The results showed that the income-based timber carbon stock of the United States and China were among the top countries in imports and exports simultaneously. However, their export volumes were significantly larger, meaning that these countries have invested more primary resources in timber products. The timber carbon stock of the United States mainly flows into Canada and Brazil. In China, the largest flow went to Canada. Furthermore, the flow to the United States increased significantly. Moreover, comparing the three perspectives shows that the United States’ primary inputs have a greater impact on the global timber production chain than their production- and consumption-based roles. Brazil and Russia, as main primary resource suppliers of timber carbon stock, are more important than as final consumers. Discussion: The research can contribute to clarify the flow of forest resources embodied in global trade activities. Furthermore, it also provides a scientific basis to fairly account for carbon offset shares to achieve better the goal of forest resource protection agreed upon in COP26.
Function of TRP channels in monocytes/macrophages

The transient receptor potential channel (TRP channel) family is a kind of non- specific cation channel widely distributed in various tissues and organs of the human body, including the respiratory system, cardiovascular system, immune system, etc. It has been reported that various TRP channels are expressed in mammalian macrophages. TRP channels may be involved in various signaling pathways in the development of various systemic diseases through changes in intracellular concentrations of cations such as calcium and magnesium. These TRP channels may also intermingle with macrophage activation signals to jointly regulate the occurrence and development of diseases. Here, we summarize recent findings on the expression and function of TRP channels in macrophages and discuss their role as modulators of macrophage activation and function. As research on TRP channels in health and disease progresses, it is anticipated that positive or negative modulators of TRP channels for treating specific diseases may be promising therapeutic options for the prevention and/or treatment of disease.
Single-cell transcriptomic profiling of dorsal root ganglion: an overview

The somatosensory neurons in the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) are responsible to detect peripheral physical and noxious stimuli, and then transmit these inputs into the central nervous system. DRG neurons are composed of various subpopulations, which are suggested to respond to different stimuli, such as mechanical, thermal, and cold perception. For a long time, DRG neurons were classified based on anatomical criteria. Recently, single-cell (scRNA-seq) and single-nucleus RNA-sequencing (snRNA-seq) has advanced our understanding of the composition and functional heterogeneity of both human and rodent DRG neurons at single-cell resolution. In this review, we summarized the current literature regarding single-cell transcriptomic profiling of DRG to provide an integral understanding in the molecular transcriptomes, cell types, and functional annotations of DRG neurons in humans and rodents.
Study on the mechanism of action of colchicine in the treatment of coronary artery disease based on network pharmacology and molecular docking technology

Objective: This is the first study to explore the mechanism of colchicine in treating coronary artery disease using network pharmacology and molecular docking technology, aiming to predict the key targets and main approaches of colchicine in treating coronary artery disease. It is expected to provide new ideas for research on disease mechanism and drug development. Methods: Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform (TCMSP), Swiss Target Prediction and PharmMapper databases were used to obtain drug targets. GeneCards, Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM), Therapeutic Target Database (TTD), DrugBank and DisGeNET databases were utilized to gain disease targets. The intersection of the two was taken to access the intersection targets of colchicine for the treatment of coronary artery disease. The Sting database was employed to analyze the protein-protein interaction network. Gene Ontology (GO) functional enrichment analysis was performed using Webgestalt database. Reactom database was applied for Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis. Molecular docking was simulated using AutoDock 4.2. 6 and PyMOL2.4 software. Results: A total of 70 intersecting targets of colchicine for the treatment of coronary artery disease were obtained, and there were interactions among 50 targets. GO functional enrichment analysis yielded 13 biological processes, 18 cellular components and 16 molecular functions. 549 signaling pathways were obtained by KEGG enrichment analysis. The molecular docking results of key targets were generally good. Conclusion: Colchicine may treat coronary artery disease through targets such as Cytochrome c (CYCS), Myeloperoxidase (MPO) and Histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1). The mechanism of action may be related to the cellular response to chemical stimulus and p75NTR-mediated negative regulation of cell cycle by SC1, which is valuable for further research exploration. However, this research still needs to be verified by experiments. Future research will explore new drugs for treating coronary artery disease from these targets.
Novel cost-effective design for bio-volatilization studies in photosynthetic microalgae exposed to arsenic with emphasis on growth and glutathione modulation

A novel laboratory model was designed to study the arsenic (As) biotransformation potential of the microalgae Chlorella vulgaris and Nannochloropsis sp. and the cyanobacterium Anabaena doliolum. The Algae were treated under different concentrations of As(III) to check their growth, toxicity optimization, and volatilization potential. The results revealed that the alga Nannochloropsis sp. was better adopted in term of growth rate and biomass than C. vulgaris and A. doliolum. Algae grown under an As(III) environment can tolerate up to 200 μM As(III) with moderate toxicity impact. Further, the present study revealed the biotransformation capacity of the algae A. doliolum, Nannochloropsis sp. , and Chlorella vulgaris. The microalga Nannochloropsis sp. volatilized a large maximum amount of As (4,393 ng), followed by C. vulgaris (4382.75 ng) and A. doliolum (2687.21 ng) after 21 days. The present study showed that As(III) stressed algae-conferred resistance and provided tolerance through high production of glutathione content and As-GSH chemistry inside cells. Thus, the biotransformation potential of algae may contribute to As reduction, biogeochemistry, and detoxification at a large scale.