Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Neuroticism Mediates the Association of the Serotonin Transporter Gene with Lifetime Major Depression

Background and Objectives: An association between a polymorphism in the serotonin transporter gene (5HTT-LPR) and the personality trait of neuroticism has been reported. We sought to address the question of whether trait neuroticism mediates the putative association between this polymorphism and lifetime major depression in adults drawn from the general population. Methods: Two hundred and fifty-one participants completed the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire and an adapted version of the depression section of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R diagnosis, modified for implementation by a self-report questionnaire. A path method was applied to assess the mediator effect of neuroticism on the association between 5HTT-LPR genotype and lifetime major depression. Results: 5HTT-LPR genotype was significantly associated with both neuroticism (p = 0.02) and lifetime major depression (p = 0.04), and neuroticism with lifetime major depression (p < 0.001). Neuroticism accounted for 42.3% of the effect of 5HTT-LPR genotype on lifetime major depression, indicating possible mediation (p < 0.001). Conclusions: These results suggest that neuroticism mediates the association between 5HTT-LPR genotype and lifetime major depression, consistent with models of the aetiology of depression which suggest that anxiety-related personality traits represent a substantial risk factor for affective disorder.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Japanese Children and Adolescents with Anxiety Disorders: A Pilot Study

Background: Thirty-three Japanese children and adolescents diagnosed with an anxiety disorder participated in individual or group Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) that was modelled after evidence-based intervention programs developed in Western countries. Method: The treatment consisted of: (a) building rapport and education; (b) identifying emotions and recognizing cognitive self-talk; (c) challenging anxious self-talk; (d) developing an anxiety hierarchy and in vivo exposures; and (e) planning for future challenges. Results: Three months following treatment, 20 of the 33 children and adolescents (60.91%) no longer met criteria for their principal anxiety disorders and 16 (48.48%) were free from all anxiety disorders. Self-reported anxiety, depression, and cognitive errors also decreased significantly from pre- to post-treatment and these gains were maintained at 3-month follow-up. For the most part, similar outcomes were found in both the group and individual formats of CBT. Conclusions: This study provides preliminary support for the transportability of CBT in both an individual and group format to Japan.
The molecular and cellular basis of olfactory response to tsetse fly attractants

Dipteran or “true” flies occupy nearly every terrestrial habitat, and have evolved to feed upon a wide variety of sources including fruit, pollen, decomposing animal matter, and even vertebrate blood. Here we analyze the molecular, genetic and cellular basis of odor response in the tsetse fly Glossina morsitans, which feeds on the blood of humans and their livestock, and is a vector of deadly trypanosomes. The G. morsitans antenna contains specialized subtypes of sensilla, some of which line a sensory pit not found in the fruit fly Drosophila. We characterize distinct patterns of G. morsitans Odor receptor (GmmOr) gene expression in the antenna. We devise a new version of the “empty neuron” heterologous expression system, and use it to functionally express several GmmOrs in a mutant olfactory receptor neuron (ORN) of Drosophila. GmmOr35 responds to 1-hexen-3-ol, an odorant found in human emanations, and also alpha-pinene, a compound produced by malarial parasites. Another receptor, GmmOr9, which is expressed in the sensory pit, responds to acetone, 2-butanone and 2-propanol. We confirm by electrophysiological recording that neurons of the sensory pit respond to these odorants. Acetone and 2-butanone are strong attractants long used in the field to trap tsetse. We find that 2-propanol is also an attractant for both G. morsitans and the related species G. fuscipes, a major vector of African sleeping sickness. The results identify 2-propanol as a candidate for an environmentally friendly and practical tsetse attractant. Taken together, this work characterizes the olfactory system of a highly distinct kind of fly, and it provides an approach to identifying new agents for controlling the fly and the devastating diseases that it carries.
Speciation of dissolved selenium in the Kaoping and Erhjen rivers and estuaries, southwestern Taiwan

Analytical methods of dissolved Se species in river water and seawater were established and applied to study dissolved Se speciation in the Kaoping and Erhjen rivers and estuaries, southwestern Taiwan. The Kaoping and Erhjen rivers and estuaries were respectively in relatively oxygenated and oxygen-deficient conditions as revealed from the distributions of dissolved oxygen, DOC, nutrients, and dissolved Mn. Concentrations of dissolved total Se increased downstream in the riverine sections, ranging from 0.6 nM to 1.2 nM for the Kaoping River and from 0.8 nM to 1.05 nM for the Erhjen River. The dissolved total Se was only slightly higher in the Erhjen middle estuary than in the Kaoping middle estuary in spite of heavier pollution in the former. The dissolved total Se behaved rather conservatively in the Kaoping estuary but nonconservatively in the Erhjen estuary resulting from anthropogenic inputs, and in this respect showed similarities with the behavior of redox-sensitive Mn. The predominant species of selenium were Se(VI) and organic Se in the Kaoping River and Se(VI) in the Kaoping estuary. The elevated concentration of Se(VI) in the Kaoping estuary may stem from the degradation of organic Se and oxidation of Se(IV). On the other hand, Se(IV) and organic Se were equally dominant in the Erhjen River, and Se(IV) was predominant through most of the Erhjen estuary. The elevated distribution of Se(IV) in the Erhjen middle estuary may result mostly from partial decomposition of organic Se, but further oxidation of Se(IV) was inhibited in reducing waters. However, Se(VI) became dominant at Erhjen outer estuary where water was oxygenated by the replacement of intruded coastal seawater. Apparently, the speciation of dissolved Se was mainly controlled by the biological and redox processes in the Kaoping and Erhjen rivers and estuaries.
The nutritive value of silages Digestion of nitrogenous constituents in sheep receiving diets of grass silage and grass silage and barley

I . Two experiments were conducted to study the digestion of nitrogcnous constituents in the rumen, small intestine and caecum and colon of sheep given diets of grass silage or grass silage and barley. Three silages were used. One was made from first-harvest grass in the spring and the others from regrowth grass cut in either early autunin or late autumn. All were of perennial ryegrass (Lolirtm pcr-rrrne) and were preserved with formic acid. 2 . Expt I involved a comparison between the spring silage given alone (644 g dry matter (DM)/d) and the spring silage supplemented with barley (151 g DM/d). The intakes (g/d) of total nitrogen for the silage diet and for the supplemented diet were 14.89 and 17.36. Corresponding values (g/d) for N passage were 15'55 and 18.53 (P < 0.01) at the duodenum. 6.01 and 7.09 at the ileum and 5.06 and 5'52 in the faeces. The barley supplement had no significant (P < 0.05) effect on rumen ammonia-N concentration. 3. Expt z involved a comparison between the two autumn-cut silages each offered at a level of feeding of approximately 700 g DM/d. The intakes (g/d) of total N for the early-cut silage and for the late-cut silage were 21.67 and 15.62 respectively. Corresponding values (g/d) for N passage were 17.10 and 16.96 at the duodenum, 6.65 and 6.80 at the ileum and 4.5 and 5.22 in the faeces. The concentration of NHJ-N in the runicn was significantly (P < 0.001) higher with the early-cut silage than with the late-cut silage. 4. In both experiments the rates of bacterial crude protein (N x 6 . 2 5 ) synthesis in the rumen, estimated using z.c-diaminopinielic acid as a marker, were low, 1 4 2 and 161 g crude protein/kg organic matter apparently digested in the rumen for the spring silage and the spring silage and barley diets respectively, and 68 and 103 g crude protein/kg organic matter apparently digested in the rumcn for the early-cut autumn silage and the late-cut autumn silage respectively. For all diets theie was a relatively low contribution of bacterial crude protein to the duodenal passage of crude protein and the amounts of individual amino acids ingested in the diets had a marked influence on the amino acids passing to the duodenum and as a consequence on the mixture of amino acids taken up from the small intestine. 5 . The results are discussed in relation to the nutritive value of silage N for ruminants.
Electric vehicle charging station placement and management

Due to the world’s shortage of fossil fuels and the serious environmental pollution from burning them, seeking alternative energy has become a crucial topic of research. Transportation is one of the main consumers of energy and contributors to air pollution. Electric Vehicles (EVs) move pollution away from urban areas and electricity can be efficiently transformed from both traditional fossil fuels and promising renewable energies like solar energy and tidal energy. EVs, as a replacement of traditional internal combustion engine vehicles, provide an environment-friendly solution to modern cities’ transportation. A rapid growth of EVs has been seen in recent years along with the rising popularity of the notion of smart cities. This calls for an efficient deployment of relevant supporting facilities, among which charging facility is of top priority. Although EVs can be charged at home, it is time-consuming and usually takes 6 to 8 hours, which is at least 12 times the time it takes at charging stations with high voltage. The distribution of charging stations determines EV drivers’ accessibility to energy sources and consequently affects the EV flow and traffic conditions in the road network. Although charging in charging stations is much faster than that with domestic electricity, it can still take several dozens of minutes. Thus in return, the EV drivers’ charging behavior would greatly influence the performance of the charging system, especially the queuing condition in charging stations. This thesis is concerned with optimal placement and efficient management of charging stations. To achieve this goal, we carefully study the interactions between charging stations and EV drivers as well as the bounded rationality of EV drivers in charging activities. In our first step of research, we study the electric vehicle charging station placement problem. We highlight two main factors to consider: traffic congestion and charging
Simulations between Three Types of Networks of Splicing Processors

Networks of splicing processors (NSP for short) embody a subcategory among the new computational models inspired by natural phenomena with theoretical potential to handle unsolvable problems efficiently. Current literature considers three variants in the context of networks managed by random-context filters. Despite the divergences on system complexity and control degree over the filters, the three variants were proved to hold the same computational power through the simulations of two computationally complete systems: Turing machines and 2-tag systems. However, the conversion between the three models by means of a Turing machine is unattainable because of the huge computational costs incurred. This research paper addresses this issue with the proposal of direct and efficient simulations between the aforementioned paradigms. The information about the nodes and edges (i.e., splicing rules, random-context filters, and connections between nodes) composing any network of splicing processors belonging to one of the three categories is used to design equivalent networks working under the other two models. We demonstrate that these new networks are able to replicate any computational step performed by the original network in a constant number of computational steps and, consequently, we prove that any outcome achieved by the original architecture can be accomplished by the constructed architectures without worsening the
Asymptotic Enumeration of Graph Classes with Many Components

We consider graph classes $\mathcal G$ in which every graph has components in a class $\mathcal{C}$ of connected graphs. We provide a framework for the asymptotic study of $\lvert\mathcal{G}_{n,N}\rvert$, the number of graphs in $\mathcal{G}$ with $n$ vertices and $N:=\lfloor\lambda n\rfloor$ components, where $\lambda\in(0,1)$. Assuming that the number of graphs with $n$ vertices in $\mathcal{C}$ satisfies \begin{align*} \lvert \mathcal{C}_n\rvert\sim b n^{-(1+\alpha)}\rho^{-n}n! , \quad n\to \infty \end{align*} for some $b,\rho>0$ and $\alpha>1$ -- a property commonly encountered in graph enumeration -- we show that \begin{align*} \lvert\mathcal{G}_{n,N}\rvert\sim c(\lambda) n^{f(\lambda)} (\log n)^{g(\lambda)} \rho^{-n}h(\lambda)^{N}\frac{n! }{N! }, \quad n\to \infty \end{align*} for explicitly given $c(\lambda),f(\lambda),g(\lambda)$ and $h(\lambda)$. These functions are piecewise continuous with a discontinuity at a critical value $\lambda^{*}$, which we also determine. The central idea in our approach is to sample objects of $\cal G$ randomly by so-called Boltzmann generators in order to translate enumerative problems to the analysis of iid random variables. By that we are able to exploit local limit theorems and large deviation results well-known from probability theory to prove our claims. The main results are formulated for generic combinatorial classes satisfying the SET-construction.
IL-36γ Is a Key Regulator of Neutrophil Infiltration in the Vaginal Microenvironment and Limits Neuroinvasion in Genital HSV-2 Infection

Key Points IL-36γ is crucial for neutrophil recruitment in response to genital HSV-2 infection. Genital HSV-2 disease pathogenesis progresses more rapidly in IL-36γ−/− mice. IL-36γ−/− mice exhibit significantly increased HSV-2 neuroinvasion and virus spread. HSV-2 is a neurotropic virus that causes a persistent, lifelong infection that increases risk for other sexually transmitted infections. The vaginal epithelium is the first line of defense against HSV-2 and coordinates the immune response through the secretion of immune mediators, including the proinflammatory cytokine IL-36γ. Previously, we showed that IL-36γ treatment promoted transient polymorphonuclear cell infiltration to the vaginal cavity and protected against lethal HSV-2 challenge. In this report, we reveal that IL-36γ specifically induces transient neutrophil infiltration but does not impact monocyte and macrophage recruitment. Using IL-36γ−/− mice in a lethal HSV-2 challenge model, we show that neutrophil counts are significantly reduced at 1 and 2 d postinfection and that KC-mediated mature neutrophil recruitment is impaired in IL-36γ−/− mice. Additionally, IL-36γ−/− mice develop genital disease more rapidly, have significantly reduced survival time, and exhibit an increased incidence of hind limb paralysis that is linked to productive HSV-2 infection in the brain stem. IL-36γ−/− mice also exhibit a significant delay in clearance of the virus from the vaginal epithelium and a more rapid spread of HSV-2 to the spinal cord, bladder, and colon. We further show that the decreased survival time and increased virus spread observed in IL-36γ−/− mice are not neutrophil-dependent, suggesting that IL-36γ may function to limit HSV-2 spread in the nervous system. Ultimately, we demonstrate that IL-36γ is a key regulator of neutrophil recruitment in the vaginal microenvironment and may function to limit HSV-2 neuroinvasion.
THE MORPHOLOGY, LIFE HISTORY, AND SYSTEMATIC RELATIONS OF TUB ULO VESIC ULA PING UIS (LINTON, 1940) MANTER, 1947 (TREMATODA :

Linton ( 1910) described Dinurus rubeus n. sp. , a digenetic trematode from species of Lycodontis at Tortugas, Florida, and Manter (1931 ) described a second species, Dinurus inagnus, from Synodus foetens at Beaufort, North Carolina. He (1947) transferred both species to the genus Stomachicola Yamaguti, 1934, as Stoniachicola rubea and Stoniachicola inagna. Meanwhile, Linton ( 1940) de scribed Dinurus pingzis from Menidia nienidia at \â€˜oods Hole, Massachusetts, and Manter ( 1947) transferred this species, pinguis, to Tubulo'vesicula Yamaguti, 1934. Sinclair et a.l. ( 1972) in a 2-year study of Stomachicola rubea noted that the worms attain maximum size only in the stomach of â€œ? �trueâ€ definitive hosts, large fishes, and that small fishes, which ingest planktonic invertebrates, serve as â€œ? �transfer hosts. â€ In these hosts, the parasites may wander about in the tissues, or may be encysted. These authors predicated that T. pinguis is, in such a transfer host, a stage in the life cycle of S. rubea. Stunkard ( 1973) described the develop ment of T. pinguis in M. inenidia. The worms matured without acquiring any of the essential characters of the genus Stonlachicola, and, although the life cycles of both species were unknown, the proposal of Sinclair et a! was rejected. With the discovery of the life cycle and asexual generations of T. pinguis, described in this report, the morphological differences between Stomachicola and Tubulovesicula are supplemented with bionomic characteristics that clearly establish the validity of T. pinguis as a valid and independent species.
Intracranial hemorrhage detection and classification from CT images based on multiple features and machine learning approaches

The regulating organ of the body is the brain. Early diagnosis of brain disorders can have a significant impact on efforts to treat them. A brain hemorrhage is a form of stroke caused by a bursting artery in the brain, resulting in bleeding in the surrounding tissues. Through a brain Computed Tomography (CT) scan, brain hemorrhage can be identified. CT is the most extensively used diagnostic imaging technology for identifying brain illnesses due to its speed, low cost, and wide variety of uses. During a CT scan, a small X-ray beam revolves around the body to capture a sequence of images from different angles. The computer then produces a cross-sectional representation of the body. Intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) is a medical condition that requires prompt identification and treatment. Since ICH early detection and therapy can improve health outcomes, there is a need for a triage system that can immediately identify and speed up the treatment process. In this paper, we will use standard machine learning (Support Vector Machine, Random Forest and Decision Tree) methodologies to present a method for automatically detecting the ICH in a two-dimensional reduced form of a CT scan of the brain. Four main steps make up the method. First, a preprocessing pipeline that can successfully remove the bone from the skull is put into place. The following step is applying a feature extraction method. Then, a suitable feature-selection (PCA) model is proposed, which will enhance the model's performance by minimizing any redundancy produced by the selected feature extraction. The data set from the CT scans is classified into normal and abnormal in the last stage, which involves training and testing a machine learning model. The accuracy for our proposed model using Random Forest (RF), is 92.5%. RF achieves higher performance than other used ML methods.
LRRK2 phosphorylation of auxilin mediates synaptic defects in dopaminergic neurons from patients with Parkinson’s disease

Significance Identifying dysfunctional cellular mechanisms in sporadic neurodegenerative diseases has been challenging. Therefore, in-depth investigation of genetic forms of disease can provide valuable insight into pathogenic disease mechanisms. Here, we demonstrate the novel interaction between two Parkinson’s disease-linked genes, LRRK2 and auxilin. Additionally, as both genes have described roles at the synapse, we identify synaptic dysfunction as a contributor of dopamine-mediated toxic effects in human dopaminergic neurons. Together, these results highlight the importance of the mechanistic dissection of genetic forms of Parkinson’s disease to identify converging pathways and targets for therapeutic intervention. Recently identified Parkinson’s disease (PD) genes involved in synaptic vesicle endocytosis, such as DNAJC6 (auxilin), have further implicated synaptic dysfunction in PD pathogenesis. However, how synaptic dysfunction contributes to the vulnerability of human dopaminergic neurons has not been previously explored. Here, we demonstrate that commonly mutated, PD-linked leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) mediates the phosphorylation of auxilin in its clathrin-binding domain at Ser627. Kinase activity-dependent LRRK2 phosphorylation of auxilin led to differential clathrin binding, resulting in disrupted synaptic vesicle endocytosis and decreased synaptic vesicle density in LRRK2 patient-derived dopaminergic neurons. Moreover, impaired synaptic vesicle endocytosis contributed to the accumulation of oxidized dopamine that in turn mediated pathogenic effects such as decreased glucocerebrosidase activity and increased α-synuclein in mutant LRRK2 neurons. Importantly, these pathogenic phenotypes were partially attenuated by restoring auxilin function in mutant LRRK2 dopaminergic neurons. Together, this work suggests that mutant LRRK2 disrupts synaptic vesicle endocytosis, leading to altered dopamine metabolism and dopamine-mediated toxic effects in patient-derived dopaminergic neurons.
Spatial disorientation in Alzheimer’s disease

Background: Patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and many older adults become lost even in familiar surroundings. This is commonly attributed to memory impairment, but it may reflect impaired spatial cognition. Methods: The authors examined the role of memory, perceptual, and cognitive mechanisms in spatial disorientation by comparing the performance of normal young (YN), middle-aged (MA), older adult (OA), and AD subjects on neuropsychological and spatial orientation tests. Results: The tendency to become lost is shared by almost all patients with AD (93%) and some OA subjects (38%). This impairment is not related to memory impairment. Instead, it reflects an inability to link recognized scenes with locations in the environment. Conclusions: Spatial disorientation reflects the impaired linking of landmarks and routes that should be assessed in conjunction with routine memory testing in elderly patients.
Sitosterolemia: a gateway to new knowledge about cholesterol metabolism

Sitosterolemia (OMIM 210250) is a rare, autosomal recessive lipid disorder initially described almost 30 years ago. The disease is characterized by elevated plasma levels of plant sterols due to increased intestinal absorption and reduced biliary secretion of neutral sterols. Patients with sitosterolemia are frequently hypercholesterolemic, and develop xanthomas and premature coronary heart disease (CHD). Hemolysis, arthralgias and arthritis are also frequently associated with the disorder. Recently, sitosterolemia has been revealed to be due to mutations in either of the two ATP‐binding cassette (ABC) half‐transporters, ABCG5 or ABCG8. These two genes are expressed almost exclusively in the liver and intestine, and are co‐regulated by the nuclear hormone receptor, liver X receptor (LXR). Genetically modified mice, which express either high levels or no ABCG5 and ABCG8 have been developed. Analyses of these mice confirm that these two transporters play key roles in regulating the absorption of dietary and biliary sterols, and in mediating the excretion of neutral sterols from the liver to the bile. The elucidation of the gene defects responsible for sitosterolemia provides potential therapeutic targets for the treatment of hyperlipidemias in the general population.