Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Validity of Global Positioning System Technology to Measure Maximum Velocity Sprinting in Elite Sprinters

Abstract Thome, M, Thorpe, RT, Jordan, MJ, and Nimphius, S. Validity of global positioning system (GPS) technology to measure maximum velocity sprinting in elite sprinters. J Strength Cond Res 37(12): 2438–2442, 2023—The objective of this study was to assess the concurrent validity of 10-Hz wearable Global Positioning System (GPS) technology to measure maximum velocity sprinting (Vmax) relative to Doppler radar in elite sprinters. Data were collected from a single training session performed by elite 100 and 200 m sprinters (males: n = 5; 100 m best times: 10.02 ± 0.07 seconds, range: 9.94–10.10 seconds; 200 m best times: 20.29 ± 0.42 seconds, range: 19.85–20.80 seconds; females: n = 2; age: 28.0 ± 4.2 years; body mass: 65.8 ± 4.6 kg; 100 m best times: 11.18 ± 0.34 seconds; 200 m best times: 22.53 ± 0.04 seconds). Velocity and time data from 16 maximal, 60-m sprint efforts were recorded simultaneously with 10 Hz GPS and 47 Hz radar. Validity was assessed using Bland-Altman 95% limits of agreement (LOA) and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), each with respective 95% confidence intervals (CI). Vmax measured with 10 Hz GPS demonstrated a LOA of −0.11 m·s−1 (−0.17, −0.05) and an ICC of 0.99 (0.98, 1.0) relative to the radar device.10 Hz GPS overestimated Vmax by 0.11 m·s−1 relative to the radar but could still be considered a suitable tool for monitoring external load in elite sprinters. However, the much smaller average annual improvement in this population (∼0.1–0.2%) in comparison with the ∼1% overestimation reduces the utility of 10 Hz GPS to detect meaningful performance changes in maximum velocity.
Genetic ages for Quaternary topographic evolution: A new dating tool

All eukaryote populations accumulate mutations in their mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) over time, so reproductively isolated populations become characterized by distinct mtDNA lineages. In addition, the degree of genetic differentiation among distinct populations can be used to estimate time elapsed since their isolation. We have identified an informative system for calibrating the mtDNA “clock” by genetically comparing freshwater galaxiid fish populations isolated in different river drainages. Calibration using a range of Quaternary geological events in southern New Zealand shows that the mtDNA divergence rate in galaxiid fishes is between 1% and 2%/100 k.y. up to 250 k.y. , with the rate decreasing with increasing age. The estimated divergence rate slows to around 4%/m.y. for the middle Quaternary, although calibration is poor. A calibration curve has been fitted to all data: divergence (%) = −2.2 e −9 t + 2.5 t + 2.2, where t is isolation age (in m.y.). This molecular clock has potential as a dating tool for glacially related and active tectonic events that have caused river drainage changes in the late Quaternary in the Southern Hemisphere, where galaxiids are widespread. An application of this dating tool to an example in northern South Island uses three different species of freshwater-limited fish, and all three data sets imply formation of a drainage divide at 320 ± 110 ka, at about the time of a major glacial advance though the divide (oxygen isotope stage 8).
Environmental distribution of Echinococcus- and Taenia spp.-contaminated dog feces in Kyrgyzstan

Recently, there have been epidemics of human cystic echinococcosis (CE) and alveolar echi-nococcosis (AE) in Kyrgyzstan. This study investigated 2 districts for the presence of Echinococcus granulosus s.l. and Echinococcus multilocularis eggs; species identity was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction in dog feces and the level of environmental contamination with parasite eggs in 2017 – 2018 was also investigated. In the Alay district 5 villages with a high reported annual incidence of AE of 162 cases per 100 000 and 5 villages in the Kochkor district which had a much lower incidence of 21 cases per 100 000 were investigated. However, the proportion of dog feces containing E. granulosus s.l. eggs was ∼ 4.2 and ∼ 3.5% in Alay and Kochkor respectively. For E. multilocularis , the corresponding proportions were 2.8 and 3.2%. Environmental contamination of Echinococcus spp. eggs was estimated using the McMaster technique for fecal egg counts, weight and density of canine feces. The level of environmental contamination with E. multilocularis eggs was similar at 4.4 and 5.0 eggs per m 2 in Alay and Kochkor respectively. The corresponding values for E. granulosus s.l. were 8.3 and 7.5 eggs per m 2 . There was no association between village or district level incidence of human AE or CE and the proportion of dog feces containing eggs of Echinococcus spp. or the level of environmental contamination. Increased contamination of taeniid eggs occured in the autumn, after the return of farmers with dogs from summer mountain pastures.
Diagnostic biomarker for type 2 diabetic peripheral neuropathy via comprehensive bioinformatics analysis

Abstract Background Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is a common complication of Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), which frequently results in disabling neuropathic pain and lower‐limb amputation. The identification of noninvasive biomarkers for DPN may help early detection and individualized treatment of DPN. Methods In this study, we identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between DPN and the control based on blood‐source (GSE95849) and tissue‐source gene expression profiles (GSE143979) from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database using limma, edgeR, and DESeq2 approaches. KEGGG and GO functional enrichments were performed. Hub genes and their correlation with infiltrating immune cells were analyzed. Real‐time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT‐qPCR) was used to quantify hub gene expression. Results In total, 144 DEGs between DPN and the control were identified. Functional enrichment revealed that the DEGs were mainly enriched in immune‐related pathways like the Fc epsilon receptor Ig signaling pathway. By protein–protein interaction (PPI) network analysis, FCER1G, SYK, ITGA4, F13A1, MS4A2, and PTK2B were screened as hub genes with higher expression in DPN patients, among which half were immune genes (FCER1G, PTK2B, and SYK). RT‐qPCR demonstrated that mRNA expression of FCER1G, PTK2B, and SYK was significantly increased in patients with DPN compared with both diabetic nonperipheral neuropathy (DNN) and normal subjects. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of FCER1G, PTK2B, and SYK was 0.84, 0.81, and 0.73, respectively, suggesting their great advantages as diagnostic biomarkers to predict the progression of neuropathy in T2DM. Further analysis indicated that the expression of FCER1G, PTK2B, and SYK was negatively correlated with the cell proportion of significantly altered resting natural killer cells, T follicular helper cells, and activated mast cells, but positively correlated with monocytes. Conclusions Our findings demonstrated FCER1G, PTK2B, and SYK are potential diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets for DPN, which provides new insight into DPN pathogenesis and therapies.
Detection and Assessment of Point-to-Point Movements During Functional Activities Using Deep Learning and Kinematic Analyses of the Stroke-Affected Wrist

Stoke is a leading cause of long-term disability, including upper-limb hemiparesis. Frequent, unobtrusive assessment of naturalistic motor performance could enable clinicians to better assess rehabilitation effectiveness and monitor patients' recovery trajectories. We therefore propose and validate a two-phase data analytic pipeline to estimate upper-limb impairment based on the naturalistic performance of activities of daily living (ADLs). Eighteen stroke survivors were equipped with an inertial sensor on the stroke-affected wrist and performed up to four ADLs in a naturalistic manner. Continuous inertial time series were segmented into sliding windows, and a machine-learned model identified windows containing instances of point-to-point (P2P) movements. Using kinematic features extracted from the detected windows, a subsequent model was used to estimate upper-limb motor impairment, as measured by the Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA). Both models were evaluated using leave-one-subject-out cross-validation. The P2P movement detection model had an area under the precision-recall curve of 0.72. FMA estimates had a normalized root mean square error of 18.8% with $R^{2}=0.72$. These promising results support the potential to develop seamless, ecologically valid measures of real-world motor performance.
Antiproliferative and Apoptosis Effects of Hybrid Varieties of Vitis vinifera L. Sweet Sapphire and Sweet Surprise on Human Prostate Cancer Cells Using In Vitro and In Silico Approaches

Objective: Grape hybrids are characterized by different chemical compositions; often with high hybrids are characterized by different chemical compositions, often with a high phenolic content and a specific profile of anthocyanins. The aim of study was to characterize the constituents of hybrid Vitis vinifera L. varieties Sweet Sapphire (SA) and Sweet Surprise (SU) extracts and their influence on apoptosis induction and antiproliferative effects on human prostate cancer cells. Methods: We used the MTT assay to evaluate the cytotoxic effect of extracts of SA and SU, on the prostate adenocarcinoma cell lines PC-3 and DU-145. To analyze the inhibiting impact by flow cytometry, used 24 and 48 hours. Anthocyanins were quantified by liquid chromatography and analysed by their absorption rate, hepatotoxicity, blood concentration, blood-brain barrier passage ability and maximum recommended dose by in silico approaches. Results: Our results showed that malvidin derivatives present the highest content in both cultivars. We identified 14.46mg/100g malvidin-3-O-glycoside in SA and 2.76 mg/100 g in SU. A reduction in cell viability of DU-145 (45 and 65%) and PC-3 (63 and 67%) cells after 48h treatment with SA and SU, respectively, was found via MTT assay. Flow cytometry showed that the treatment with extracts from SA and SU had an inhibitory impact on cell development due to G2/M arrest and caused a rise in apoptotic cells compared to control group. None of the anthocyanin presented hepatotoxicity as well as blood-brain barrier passage ability. Peonidin 3-O-glucoside had the lower maximum recommended dose as well as the highest intestinal absorption rate. However, delphinidin 3-O-glucoside had the highest blood concentration values. Conclusion: The findings of this study highlight the potential of hybrid Vitis vinifera L. varieties as an important source of natural antioxidants and their protective effect against prostate cancer cells as well as elucidate in part their anthocyanin’s metabolism.
The distribution of the Red-crowned Toadlet Pseudophryne australis in the Nepean-Burragorang region of the Sydney Basin

Surveys were conducted for the Red-crowned Toadlet Pseudophryne australis in Burragorang State Conservation Area (SCA), Nattai National Park (NP), Thirlmere Lakes NP and the Upper Nepean SCA west of Sydney, New South Wales using a variety of methods. Scattered populations of Pseudophryne australis were detected by the presence of tadpoles and calling males in a range of vegetation communities. These communities included escarpment grey gum forest, exposed Burragorang sandstone shrub woodland, Nattai sandstone dry shrub forest, sheltered sandstone intermediate blue gum forest and Nepean gorge moist forest. All detections were within non-perennial creeks on Hawkesbury or Mittagong sandstones or enriched soils derived from these sandstones. The number of calling frogs at sites ranged from one to about 400. Nine 250 m transects were surveyed at night for 30 min each and 0–36 adult frogs were detected during these searches. Diurnal searches were conducted for tadpoles and adult frogs by using the ‘shout’ metho.
Single-Channel sEMG-Based Estimation of Knee Joint Angle Using a Decomposition Algorithm With a State-Space Model

Accurate human motion estimation is crucial for effective and safe human-robot interaction when using robotic devices for rehabilitation or performance enhancement. Although surface electromyography (sEMG) signals have been widely used to estimate human movements, conventional sEMG-based methods, which need sEMG signals measured from multiple relevant muscles, are usually subject to some limitations, including interference between sEMG sensors and wearable robots/environment, complicated calibration, as well as discomfort during long-term routine use. Few methods have been proposed to deal with these limitations by using single-channel sEMG (i.e., reducing the sEMG sensors as much as possible). The main challenge for developing single-channel sEMG-based estimation methods is that high estimation accuracy is difficult to be guaranteed. To address this problem, we proposed an sEMG-driven state-space model combined with an sEMG decomposition algorithm to improve the accuracy of knee joint movement estimation based on single-channel sEMG signals measured from gastrocnemius. The effectiveness of the method was evaluated via both single- and multi-speed walking experiments with seven and four healthy subjects, respectively. The results showed that the normal root-mean-squared error of the estimated knee joint angle using the method could be limited to 15%. Moreover, this method is robust with respect to variations in walking speeds. The estimation performance of this method was basically comparable to that of state-of-the-art studies using multi-channel sEMG.
What visuospatial perception has taught us about the pathophysiology of vestibular migraine

Purpose of review A decade has passed since vestibular migraine (VM) was formally established as a clinical entity. During this time, VM has emerged amongst the most common cause of episodic vertigo. Like all forms of migraine, VM symptoms are most prominent during individual attacks, however many patients may also develop persistent symptoms that are less prominent and can still interfere with daily activities. Recent findings Vestibular inputs are strongly multimodal, and because of extensive convergence with other sensory information, they do not result in a distinct conscious sensation. Here we review experimental evidence that supports VM symptoms are linked to multisensory mechanisms that control body motion and position in space. Summary Multisensory integration is a key concept for understanding migraine. In this context, VM pathophysiology may involve multisensory processes critical for motion perception, spatial orientation, visuospatial attention, and spatial awareness.
Insights into the Galápagos plume from uranium‐series isotopes of recently erupted basalts

Uranium‐series isotopes (238U‐230Th‐226Ra‐210Pb), major element, trace element, and Sr‐Nd isotopic data are presented for recent (<60 years old) Galápagos archipelago basalts. Volcanic rocks from all centers studied (Fernandina, Cerro Azul, Sierra Negra, and Wolf Volcano) display 230Th excesses (4%–15%) and steep rare earth element (REE) patterns indicative of residual garnet during partial melting of their mantle source. Rare earth element modeling suggests that only a few percent of garnet is involved. Correlations between (238U/232Th), radiogenic isotopes and Nb/Zr ratio suggest that the U/Th ratio of these Galápagos volcanic rocks is primarily controlled by geochemical source variations and not fractionation during partial melting. The lowest (230Th/238U) ratio is not observed at Fernandina (the supposed center of the plume) but at the more geochemically “depleted” Wolf Volcano, further to the north. Small radium excesses are observed for all samples with (226Ra/230Th) ranging from 1.107 to 1.614. The 226Ra‐230Th disequilibria do not correlate with other uranium‐series parent‐daughter nuclide pairs or geochemical data, suggesting modification at shallow levels on timescales relevant to the half‐life of 226Ra (1600 years). The combination of 226Ra and 210Pb excesses is inconsistent with interaction of magma with cumulate material unless decoupling of 210Pb (or an intermediate daughter, such as 222Rn) occurs prior to modification of Ra‐Th disequilibria. An intriguing correlation of (210Pb/226Ra)0 with Nb/Zr and radiogenic isotopes requires further investigation but suggests possible control via magmatic degassing and accumulation that may somehow be related to source heterogeneities.
Ankle Torque Estimation With Motor Unit Discharges in Residual Muscles Following Lower-Limb Amputation

There has been increased interest in using residual muscle activity for neural control of powered lower-limb prostheses. However, only surface electromyography (EMG)-based decoders have been investigated. This study aims to investigate the potential of using motor unit (MU)-based decoding methods as an alternative to EMG-based intent recognition for ankle torque estimation. Eight people without amputation (NON) and seven people with amputation (AMP) participated in the experiments. Subjects conducted isometric dorsi- and plantarflexion with their intact limb by tracing desired muscle activity of the tibialis anterior (TA) and gastrocnemius (GA) while ankle torque was recorded. To match phantom limb and intact limb activity, AMP mirrored muscle activation with their residual TA and GA. We compared neuromuscular decoders (linear regression) for ankle joint torque estimation based on 1) EMG amplitude (aEMG), 2) MU firing frequencies representing neural drive (ND), and 3) MU firings convolved with modeled twitch forces (MUDrive). In addition, sensitivity analysis and dimensionality reduction of optimization were performed on the MUDrive method to further improve its practical value. Our results suggest MUDrive significantly outperforms (lower root-mean-square error) EMG and ND methods in muscles of NON, as well as both intact and residual muscles of AMP. Reducing the number of optimized MUDrive parameters degraded performance. Even so, optimization computational time was reduced and MUDrive still outperformed aEMG. Our outcomes indicate integrating MU discharges with modeled biomechanical outputs may provide a more accurate torque control signal than direct EMG control of assistive, lower-limb devices, such as exoskeletons and powered prostheses.
Age-related loss of Notch3 underlies brain vascular contractility deficiencies, glymphatic dysfunction, and neurodegeneration in mice

Vascular aging affects multiple organ systems, including the brain, where it can lead to vascular dementia. However, a concrete understanding of how aging specifically affects the brain vasculature, along with molecular readouts, remains vastly incomplete. Here, we demonstrate that aging is associated with a marked decline in Notch3 signaling in both murine and human brain vessels. To clarify the consequences of Notch3 loss in the brain vasculature, we used single-cell transcriptomics and found that Notch3 inactivation alters regulation of calcium and contractile function and promotes a notable increase in extracellular matrix. These alterations adversely impact vascular reactivity, manifesting as dilation, tortuosity, microaneurysms, and decreased cerebral blood flow, as observed by MRI. Combined, these vascular impairments hinder glymphatic flow and result in buildup of glycosaminoglycans within the brain parenchyma. Remarkably, this phenomenon mirrors a key pathological feature found in brains of patients with CADASIL, a hereditary vascular dementia associated with NOTCH3 missense mutations. Additionally, single-cell RNA sequencing of the neuronal compartment in aging Notch3-null mice unveiled patterns reminiscent of those observed in neurodegenerative diseases. These findings offer direct evidence that age-related NOTCH3 deficiencies trigger a progressive decline in vascular function, subsequently affecting glymphatic flow and culminating in neurodegeneration.
ST-SCGNN: A Spatio-Temporal Self-Constructing Graph Neural Network for Cross-Subject EEG-Based Emotion Recognition and Consciousness Detection

In this paper, a novel spatio-temporal self-constructing graph neural network (ST-SCGNN) is proposed for cross-subject emotion recognition and consciousness detection. For spatio-temporal feature generation, activation and connection pattern features are first extracted and then combined to leverage their complementary emotion-related information. Next, a self-constructing graph neural network with a spatio-temporal model is presented. Specifically, the graph structure of the neural network is dynamically updated by the self-constructing module of the input signal. Experiments based on the SEED and SEED-IV datasets showed that the model achieved average accuracies of 85.90% and 76.37%, respectively. Both values exceed the state-of-the-art metrics with the same protocol. In clinical besides, patients with disorders of consciousness (DOC) suffer severe brain injuries, and sufficient training data for EEG-based emotion recognition cannot be collected. Our proposed ST-SCGNN method for cross-subject emotion recognition was first attempted in training in ten healthy subjects and testing in eight patients with DOC. We found that two patients obtained accuracies significantly higher than chance level and showed similar neural patterns with healthy subjects. Covert consciousness and emotion-related abilities were thus demonstrated in these two patients. Our proposed ST-SCGNN for cross-subject emotion recognition could be a promising tool for consciousness detection in DOC patients.
Respondent Driven Sampling Method of Recruitment for a Case Control Study of Gastric Cancer Risk

Objective: Gastric cancer (GC) disproportionately affects ethnic minorities in the US including Asians and Pacific Islanders. Research with minority groups who are at high risk are needed to provide more effective treatment. Successful recruitment of minorities to research must overcome obstacles of language, access, fear and mistrust. Respondent Driven Sampling (RDS) is a sampling strategy designed to recruit underrepresented minority populations using social networks. However, there are no reports of RDS being used for a case-control study. Methods: Our pilot study examined the feasibility of using RDS as a recruitment strategy to enroll a large number of participants to develop a GC screener. Our preliminary work showed that 750 cases and 5,250 controls would be needed to fully develop this tool. GC cases, who also served as the seeds, were asked to refer 2 more people to participate as controls in our study. Our pilot goal was to recruit 8 GC cases (as seeds) and 112 controls using three waves of referrals and recruitment. Results: Twenty-seven GC cases were contacted of which 10 refused, 4 expressed interested to participate in the survey but were unwilling to recruit controls. Thirteen cases were recruited but only 5 Complete the survey. Of these 5, 3 cases did not pass on referral coupons and only 2 of the participants gave coupons to 3 potential controls. Conclusion: Our study revealed the limitations of using RDS with cancer patients to support recruitment. GC patients’ constrained social networks, inadequate incentives or other factors may have contributed to the lack of success with using RDS in this setting.