Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Changes in SARS-CoV-2 viral load and titers over time in SARS-CoV-2-infected human corpses

High viral titers of infectious severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) have been detected in human corpses long after death. However, little is known about the kinetics of infectious SARS-CoV-2 in corpses. In this case series study, we investigated the postmortem kinetics of infectious SARS-CoV-2 in human corpses by collecting nasopharyngeal swab samples at multiple time points from six SARS-CoV-2-infected patients after their death. SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction from nasopharyngeal swab samples collected from all six deceased patients. A viral culture showed the presence of infectious virus in one deceased patient up to 12 days after death. Notably, this patient had a shorter time from symptom onset to death than the other patients, and autopsy samples showed pathological findings consistent with viral replication in the upper respiratory tract. Therefore, this patient died during the viral shedding phase, and the amount of infectious virus in the corpse did not decrease over time up to the date of autopsy (12 days after death). The findings of this study indicate that the persistence of SARS-CoV-2 in corpses can vary among individuals and may be associated with the stage of the disease at the time of death. These important results complement many previously reported findings on the infectivity of SARS-CoV-2 at postmortem.
Stereotactic Radiosurgery and Stereotactic Fractionated Radiotherapy in the Management of Brain Metastases

Simple Summary The management of brain metastases (BM) is a major issue in cancer treatment, and one of the main goals of BM treatment is to achieve effective disease control while concurrently preserving neurocognition and quality of life. Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) and radiation therapy (SRT) represent a mainstay option that is undergoing a significant paradigm evolution with unexpected opportunities and challenges. This review highlights the evidence and the emerging role of SRS-SRT in patients diagnosed with intact intracranial metastases. Abstract The management of brain metastases (BM) remains an important and complex issue in the treatment of cancer-related neurological complications. BM are particularly common in patients diagnosed with lung, melanoma, or breast cancer. Over the past decade, therapeutic approaches for the majority of BM patients have changed. Considering and addressing the fact that patients with BM are living longer, the need to provide effective local control while preserving quality of life and neurocognition is fundamental. Over the past decade, SRS and SRT have become a more commonly chosen treatment option for BM. Despite significant advances in the treatment of BM, numerous questions remain regarding patient selection and optimal treatment sequencing. Clinical trials are critical to advancing our understanding of BM, especially as more therapeutic alternatives become available. Therefore, it is imperative for interdisciplinary teams to improve their understanding of the latest advances in SRS-SRT. This review aims to comprehensively explore SRS and SRT as treatments for BM, covering clinical considerations in their application (e.g., patient selection and eligibility), managing limited and multiple intact BM, addressing brainstem metastases, exploring combination therapies with systemic treatments, and considering the health economic perspective.
A New Paradigm in Autoimmunity-Role In Periodontal Disease

Chronic diseases, such as periodontal disease and rheumatoid arthritis, are characterized by a robust immune response resulting in unresolved inflammation. Inflammation is mediated by proinflammatory cytokines; recently, a novel subset of T-helper (Th) cells was identified that plays a crucial role in inflammation and autoimmune disease. This population secretes several proinflammatory cytokines, including the novel cytokine interleukin (IL)-17, and, hence, has been termed ''Th17. '' Inflammatory cytokines are implicated in the progression of localized chronic infections, such as periodontal disease, and in serious systemic pathologies, such as diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and cardiovascular disease. Therapeutics that antagonize inflammatory cytokines ameliorate inflammation and bone loss and may have broader implications for individuals with systemic diseases in which inflammation and autoimmunity predominate.
Efficacy and safety of Cerebrolysin in patients with hemorrhagic stroke

The purpose of the study was to investigate the efficacy and safety of Cerebrolysin in patients with hemorrhagic stroke. The primary objective of this trial was to assess the clinical efficacy and safety of a 10–days course of therapy with a daily administration of Cerebrolysin (50 mL Ⅳ per day). The trial had to demonstrate that Cerebrolysin treatment is safe in hemorrhagic stroke. Methods: The study was performed as a prospective, randomized, double blind, placebo–controlled, parallel group study with 2 treatment groups. Efficacy measures were the Unified Neurological Stroke Scale, Barthel Index, and Syndrome Short Test. The duration of the trial was of 21 days for each patient. Out of 100 randomized patients, a total of 96 (96%) completed the study. Results: Overall, no statistically significant group effects were observed based on single average comparisons at the individual visits. It could be shown that the treatment of hemorrhagic stroke with Cerebrolysin is safe and well tolerated. Conclusion: In the changes of UNSS, BI and SST from baseline to day 21, the group differences are not statistically significant; however, the use of Cerebrolysin in hemorrhagic stroke is safe and well tolerated and studies with a larger sample size may provide statistical evidence of Cerebrolysin's efficacy in patients with hemorrhagic stroke.
Activation of endogenous retroviruses and induction of viral mimicry by MEK1/2 inhibition in pancreatic cancer

While pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas (PDACs) are addicted to KRAS-activating mutations, inhibitors of downstream KRAS effectors, such as the MEK1/2 kinase inhibitor trametinib, are devoid of therapeutic effects. However, the extensive rewiring of regulatory circuits driven by the attenuation of the KRAS pathway may induce vulnerabilities of therapeutic relevance. An in-depth molecular analysis of the transcriptional and epigenomic alterations occurring in PDAC cells in the initial hours after MEK1/2 inhibition by trametinib unveiled the induction of endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) escaping epigenetic silencing, leading to the production of double-stranded RNAs and the increased expression of interferon (IFN) genes. We tracked ERV activation to the early induction of the transcription factor ELF3, which extensively bound and activated nonsilenced retroelements and synergized with IRF1 (interferon regulatory factor 1) in the activation of IFNs and IFN-stimulated genes. Trametinib-induced viral mimicry in PDAC may be exploited in the rational design of combination therapies in immuno-oncology.
Observed Instagram use and satisfaction with life: Associations with received communications and exploration of others’ content after posting a selfie

Over 70% of Americans use social media platforms, like Instagram. With this high prevalence, researchers have investigated the relationship between social media use and psychological well-being. Extant research has yielded mixed results, however, as most measures of social media use are self-reported and focus on amount of use. Even when studies account for type of social media use, such as active or passive use, there remains much to be captured. To address this, we asked participants to report their satisfaction with life and then recorded their actual Instagram activity for 10 minutes after posting a “selfie” portrait to their account. We coded the observed Instagram activity into the following four clusters of experiences: communications received, communications sent, monitoring self-related content, and exploring other-related content. We found that greater life satisfaction was associated with higher frequency of receiving communications and viewing other-related content. Life satisfaction was not associated with frequency of sending communications and self-monitoring. Surprisingly, none of the clusters of Instagram experiences were negatively associated with life satisfaction. Our findings highlight the importance of objective data and moving beyond the active/passive dichotomy of social media use to consider additional experiences.
North American Precambrian geology–A proposed young earth biblical model

Precambrian geology, especially of the crystalline basement rocks, is complex. Consequently, understanding what appears to be its long and involved history is a challenge. This paper not only aims to help address this challenge, but also to interpret this history within a Young Earth biblical model. An overview of North America’s Precambrian province geology is described and a geological history model for the whole continent is developed that aims to be consistent with both mapped regional geology and the Biblical record. Correlation of Precambrian geological history with the sequence of acts chronicled in the Bible is based on interpreting key subjects such as mapped stratigraphy, the relative order of radiometric “ages”, the role of water and regional heating events. Interpretation of radiometric date clusters, and thus thermal-tectonic events, was used to infer correlation with the biblical record. It is proposed that God instigated heating events and that with the heat of each event, radiometric “ages” were systematically reset to lower values. These “ages,” or isotopic ratios, provide information on the history of crystallization and cooling of rocks. On the basis of these date clusters, the principal thermal-tectonic events in North America are as follows: 1. Kenoran (late Archean) – associated with simultaneous cooling and convective heat dissipation of earlier hotter crust within individual Archean provinces, and the beginning of stable cratons. 2. Hudsonian (late Paleoproterozoic) associated with internal deformation and further metamorphism of Archean provinces, as well as metasomatism. 3. Grenvillian (late Mesoproterozoic) associated with huge thickening of continental crust and high mountain building. 4. Pan-African (late Neoproterozoic) – associated with massive rifting on the Cordilleran and Appalachian margins, as well as immense continental erosion and enormous water flows. Biblical descriptions of Day One (initial global ocean and hovering over the waters), Day Two (the waters above and below), Day Three (dry land appears) and the early Noahic Flood (fountains bursting forth and rain) were respectively correlated with North America’s Archean, Paleoproterozoic, Mesoproterozoic and Neoproterozoic geology (including Kenoran, Hudsonian, Grenvillian and Pan-African thermal-tectonic events) respectively. Some specific locations of pre-Flood geography were inferred in relation to today’s Precambrian areas.
RICK/RIP2 Mediates Innate Immune Responses Induced through Nod1 and Nod2 but Not TLRs1

RICK is a kinase that has been implicated in Nod1 and Nod2 signaling. In addition, RICK has been proposed to mediate TLR signaling in that its absence confers reduced responses to certain bacterial products such as LPS. We show here that macrophages and mice lacking RICK are defective in their responses to Nod1 and Nod2 agonists but exhibit unimpaired responses to synthetic and highly purified TLR agonists. Furthermore, production of chemokines induced by the bacterial dipeptide γ-d-glutamyl-meso-diaminopimelic acid was intact in MyD88 deficient mice but abolished in RICK-null mice. Stimulation of macrophages with muramyl dipeptide, the Nod2 activator, enhanced immune responses induced by LPS, IFN-γ, and heat-killed Listeria in wild-type but not in RICK- or Nod2-deficient macrophages. Finally, we show that the absence of RICK or double deficiency of Nod1 and Nod2 was associated with reduced cytokine production in Listeria-infected macrophages. These results demonstrate that RICK functions in innate immunity by mediating Nod1 and Nod2 signaling but not TLR-mediated immune responses.
Quantitative Cranio-Morphology at Man Bac

Of the human remains excavated from Man Bac between 1999 and 2007, comprehensive sets of cranial and mandibular measurements were available for 17 adult males and 13 females. A maximum of 32 measurements, and five indices, were recorded for each cranium and mandible (a complete set was not always available) based on Martin’s definitions (see Bräuer, 1988) and are presented in the Appendix to this chapter. Male skulls representative of the sample are shown in Figure 3.1 and Table 3.1 provides a basic statistical description of the cranial and mandibular series based on these measurements. Note that Table 3.1 provides summary data for two recognised Man Bac male subgroups (this is discussed below) as well as the total male sample and complete (both sexes) sample. Of the cranial assemblage, 17 male skulls are utilised for craniometric analysis. The craniometric affinities among the comparison samples are assessed using Qmode correlation coefficients (Sneath and Sokal, 1973). The comparative samples are listed in Table 3.2, which includes both archaeological and modern samples from East/Southeast Asia and the Pacific. To aid interpretation of phenotypic affinities between the samples, un-rooted tree diagrams were generated using the Neighbour Joining method (Saitou and Nei, 1987), applied to the distance (1-r) matrix of Q-mode correlation coefficients (r). This procedure was undertaken using the software package “Splits Tree Version 4.0” provided by Huson and Bryant (2006).
Lupus susceptibility gene Pbx1 controls the development, stability, and function of regulatory T cells via Rtkn2 expression

The maintenance of regulatory T (Treg) cells critically prevents autoimmunity. Pre–B cell leukemia transcription factor 1 (Pbx1) variants are associated with lupus susceptibility, particularly through the expression of a dominant negative isoform Pbx1-d in CD4+ T cells. Pbx1-d overexpression impaired Treg cell homeostasis and promoted inflammatory CD4+ T cells. Here, we showed a high expression of Pbx1 in human and murine Treg cells, which is decreased in lupus patients and mice. Pbx1 deficiency or Pbx1-d overexpression reduced the number, stability, and suppressive activity of Treg cells, which increased murine responses to immunization and autoimmune induction. Mechanistically, Pbx1 deficiency altered the expression of genes implicated in cell cycle and apoptosis in Treg cells. Intriguingly, Rtkn2, a Rho-GTPase previously associated with Treg homeostasis, was directly transactivated by Pbx1. Our results suggest that the maintenance of Treg cell homeostasis and stability by Pbx1 through cell cycle progression prevent the expansion of inflammatory T cells that otherwise exacerbates lupus progression in the hosts.
Crystal structure of the N‐terminal domain of linker LR and the assembly of cyanobacterial phycobilisome rods

Phycobilisomes are light‐harvesting supramolecular complexes in cyanobacteria and red algae. Linkers play a pivotal role in the assembly and energy transfer modulation of phycobilisomes. However, how linkers function remains unclear due to the lack of structural and biochemical studies of linkers, especially the N‐terminal domain of LR (pfam00427). Here, we report the crystal structure of the pfam00427 domain of the linker LR30 from Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 at 1.9 Å. The pfam00427 presents as a previously uncharacterized point symmetric six α‐helix bundle. To elucidate the binding style of pfam00427 in the C‐phycocyanin (C‐PC) (αβ)6 hexamer, we fixed pfam00427 computationally into the C‐PC (αβ)6 inner cavity using the program AutoDock. Combined with a conserved ‘C‐PC binding patch’ on pfam00427 identified, we arrived at a model for the pfam00427–C‐PC (αβ)6 complex. This model was further optimized and evaluated as a reasonable result by a molecular dynamics simulation. In the resulting model, the pfam00427 domain is stably positioned in the central hole of the C‐PC trimer. Moreover, the LRT (pfam01383) was docked into our pfam00427–C‐PC model to generate a complete phycobilisome rod in which the linkers join individual biliprotein hexamers.
Visual attractiveness is leaky: the asymmetrical relationship between face and hair

Predicting personality is crucial when communicating with people. It has been revealed that the perceived attractiveness or beauty of the face is a cue. As shown in the well-known “what is beautiful is good” stereotype, perceived attractiveness is often associated with desirable personality. Although such research on attractiveness used mainly the face isolated from other body parts, the face is not always seen in isolation in the real world. Rather, it is surrounded by one’s hairstyle, and is perceived as a part of total presence. In human vision, perceptual organization/integration occurs mostly in a bottom up, task-irrelevant fashion. This raises an intriguing possibility that task-irrelevant stimulus that is perceptually integrated with a target may influence our affective evaluation. In such a case, there should be a mutual influence between attractiveness perception of the face and surrounding hair, since they are assumed to share strong and unique perceptual organization. In the current study, we examined the influence of a task-irrelevant stimulus on our attractiveness evaluation, using face and hair as stimuli. The results revealed asymmetrical influences in the evaluation of one while ignoring the other. When hair was task-irrelevant, it still affected attractiveness of the face, but only if the hair itself had never been evaluated by the same evaluator. On the other hand, the face affected the hair regardless of whether the face itself was evaluated before. This has intriguing implications on the asymmetry between face and hair, and perceptual integration between them in general. Together with data from a post hoc questionnaire, it is suggested that both implicit non-selective and explicit selective processes contribute to attractiveness evaluation. The findings provide an understanding of attractiveness perception in real-life situations, as well as a new paradigm to reveal unknown implicit aspects of information integration for emotional judgment.
Mindfulness is associated with fewer PTSD symptoms, depressive symptoms, physical symptoms, and alcohol problems in urban firefighters.

OBJECTIVE This study investigated the association between mindfulness, other resilience resources, and several measures of health in 124 urban firefighters. METHOD Participants completed health measures of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, depressive symptoms, physical symptoms, and alcohol problems and measures of resilience resources including mindfulness, optimism, personal mastery, and social support. The Mindful Awareness and Attention Scale (MAAS; Brown & Ryan, 2003) was used to assess mindfulness. Participants also completed measures of firefighter stress, number of calls, and years as a firefighter as control variables. Hierarchical multiple regressions were conducted with the health measures as the dependent variables with 3 levels of independent variables: (a) demographic characteristics, (b) firefighter variables, and (c) resilience resources. RESULTS The results showed that mindfulness was associated with fewer PTSD symptoms, depressive symptoms, physical symptoms, and alcohol problems when controlling for the other study variables. Personal mastery and social support were also related to fewer depressive symptoms, firefighter stress was related to more PTSD symptoms and alcohol problems, and years as a firefighter were related to fewer alcohol problems. CONCLUSIONS Mindfulness may be important to consider and include in models of stress, coping, and resilience in firefighters. Future studies should examine the prospective relationship between mindfulness and health in firefighters and others in high-stress occupations.
Can cyclone exposure explain behavioural and demographic variation among lemur species?

Madagascar has a harsh and stochastic climate because of regular natural disturbances. This history of regular cyclones has been hypothesised to have directed evolutionary changes to lemur behaviour and morphology that make them more resilient to sudden environmental change. These adaptations may include: small group sizes, high degrees of energy-conserving behaviours, generalist habitat use, small home ranges, small body size, and a limited number of frugivorous species. To date, however, no one has tested how variation in cyclone exposure across Madagascar is associated with variation in these resilience traits. In this study, we created a detailed cyclone impact map for Madagascar using Koppen-Geiger climate class, historical cyclone tracks, the Saffir Class of cyclone and hurricane intensity, and precipitation data. We also used existing literature to calculate a resilience score for 26 lemur species for which data existed on resilience traits. Our cyclone impact map was then overlaid on known geographic ranges of these species and compared to resilience score while controlling for phylogenetic non-independence and spatial autocorrelation. We found no association between cyclone impact in a lemur range and their resilience score. When assessing traits individually, however, we found that cyclone impact was positively associated with body size, suggesting that the more impacted a species is by cyclones the smaller they are. We also found cyclone impact to be negatively associated with frugivory, with species in higher impact zones eating more fruit. While unexpected, this could reflect an increased production in fruit in tree fall gaps following cyclones. While we did not find a pattern between cyclone impact and behavioural resilience in lemurs, we suggest a similar study at a global scale across all primates would allow for more taxonomic variation and reveal larger patterns key to understanding past and future vulnerability to natural disturbances in primates.
Neurourology and Urodynamics

Department of Urology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Neuropsychology and Neurorehabilitation Service, Vaudois University Hospital of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland Department of Urology, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands Department of Urology, Moinhos de Vento Hospital, Porto Alegre, Brazil Department of Urology, Guy’s Hospital & King’s College School of Medicine, London, United Kingdom Urology and Renal Transplant Unit, Ospedali Riuniti, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Hôpital Rothschild, Paris, France