Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Thermal Imaging Is a Noninvasive Alternative to PET/CT for Measurement of Brown Adipose Tissue Activity in Humans

Obesity and its metabolic consequences are a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Brown adipose tissue (BAT) utilizes glucose and free fatty acids to produce heat, thereby increasing energy expenditure. Effective evaluation of human BAT stimulators is constrained by the current standard method of assessing BAT—PET/CT—as it requires exposure to high doses of ionizing radiation. Infrared thermography (IRT) is a potential noninvasive, safe alternative, although direct corroboration with PET/CT has not been established. Methods: IRT and 18F-FDG PET/CT data from 8 healthy men subjected to water-jacket cooling were directly compared. Thermal images were geometrically transformed to overlay PET/CT-derived maximum intensity projection (MIP) images from each subject, and the areas with the most intense temperature and glucose uptake within the supraclavicular regions were compared. Relationships between supraclavicular temperatures (TSCR) from IRT and the metabolic rate of glucose uptake (MR(gluc)) from PET/CT were determined. Results: Glucose uptake on MR(gluc)MIP was found to correlate positively with a change in TSCR relative to a reference region (r2 = 0.721; P = 0.008). Spatial overlap between areas of maximal MR(gluc)MIP and maximal TSCR was 29.5% ± 5.1%. Prolonged cooling, for 60 min, was associated with a further TSCR rise, compared with cooling for 10 min. Conclusion: The supraclavicular hotspot identified on IRT closely corresponded to the area of maximal uptake on PET/CT-derived MR(gluc)MIP images. Greater increases in relative TSCR were associated with raised glucose uptake. IRT should now be considered a suitable method for measuring BAT activation, especially in populations for whom PET/CT is not feasible, practical, or repeatable.
O-Arm-Guided Percutaneous Radiofrequency Cordotomy

Background: Pain is often one of the most debilitating symptoms in patients with advanced oncological disease. Patients with localized pain due to malignancy refractory to medical treatment can benefit from selective percutaneous cordotomy that disconnects the ascending pain fibers in the spinothalamic tract. Objectives: Over the past year, we have been performing percutaneous radiofrequency cordotomy with the use of the O-Arm intraoperative imaging system that allows both 2D fluoroscopy and 3D reconstructed computerized tomography imaging. We present our experience using this technique, focusing on technical nuances and complications. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted of all patients who underwent percutaneous cordotomy between March 2016 and March 2017. Results: Nineteen patients underwent percutaneous cordotomy procedures. Two patients developed intraoperative delirium and were unable to tolerate the procedure. In 16 out of 17 completed procedures, we achieved excellent immediate pain relief (94%). At 1 month after operation, 15 of the 17 (88%) patients were pain free, and at 3 months 5 out of 5 patients available for follow-up were still free of their original pain. Mirror pain developed in 6 of the 17 patients (35%), but was mild in 4 of these cases and controlled with medications. We experienced 1 serious complication (6%) of ipsilateral hemiparesis. Conclusion: Percutaneous cordotomy using the O-Arm is safe and effective in the treatment of intractable oncological pain.
Inhibition of HIV-1 Gag–membrane interactions by specific RNAs

HIV-1 particle assembly, which occurs at the plasma membrane (PM) of cells, is driven by the viral polyprotein Gag. Gag recognizes phosphatidylinositol-(4,5)-bisphosphate [PI(4,5)P2], a PM-specific phospholipid, via the highly basic region (HBR) in its N-terminal matrix (MA) domain. The HBR is also known to bind to RNA. We have previously shown, using an in vitro liposome binding assay, that RNA inhibits Gag binding to membranes that lack PI(4,5)P2. If this RNA block is removed by RNase treatment, Gag can bind nonspecifically to other negatively charged membranes. In an effort to identify the RNA species that confer this inhibition of Gag membrane binding, we have tested the impact of purified RNAs on Gag interactions with negatively charged liposomes lacking PI(4,5)P2. We found that some tRNA species and RNAs containing stem–loop 1 of the psi region in the 5′ untranslated region of the HIV-1 genome impose inhibition of Gag binding to membranes lacking PI(4,5)P2. In contrast, a specific subset of tRNAs, as well as an RNA sequence previously selected in vitro for MA binding, failed to suppress Gag–membrane interactions. Furthermore, switching the identity of charged residues in the HBR did not diminish the susceptibility of Gag–liposome binding for each of the RNAs tested, while deletion of most of the NC domain abrogates the inhibition of membrane binding mediated by the RNAs that are inhibitory to WT Gag–liposome binding. These results support a model in which NC facilitates binding of RNA to MA and thereby promotes RNA-based inhibition of Gag–membrane binding.
Exacerbation of Dopaminergic Terminal Damage in a Mouse Model of Parkinson's Disease by the G-Protein-Coupled Receptor Protease-Activated Receptor 1

Protease-activated receptor 1 (PAR1) is a G-protein-coupled receptor activated by serine proteases and expressed in astrocytes, microglia, and specific neuronal populations. We examined the effects of genetic deletion and pharmacologic blockade of PAR1 in the mouse 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) model of Parkinson's disease, a neurodegenerative disease characterized by nigrostriatal dopamine damage and gliosis. After MPTP injection, PAR1–/– mice showed significantly higher residual levels of dopamine, dopamine transporter, and tyrosine hydroxylase and diminished microgliosis compared with wild-type mice. Comparable levels of dopaminergic neuroprotection from MPTP-induced toxicity were obtained by infusion of the PAR1 antagonist, BMS-200261 into the right lateral cerebral ventricle. MPTP administration caused changes in the brain protease system, including increased levels of mRNA for two PAR1 activators, matrix metalloprotease-1 and Factor Xa, suggesting a mechanism by which MPTP administration could lead to overactivation of PAR1. We also report that PAR1 is expressed in human substantia nigra pars compacta glia as well as tyrosine hydroxylase-positive neurons. Together, these data suggest that PAR1 might be a target for therapeutic intervention in Parkinson's disease.
Global strategy for the diagnosis, management, and prevention of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. NHLBI/WHO Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) Workshop summary.

List of participants (GOLD Scientific Committee): Nicholas Anthonisen, Winnipeg, Canada; William C. Bailey, Birmingham, US; Peter J. Barnes, London, UK; Tim Clark, London, UK; Leonardo Fabbri, Modena, Italy; Yoshinosuke Fukuchi, Tokyo, Japan; Lawrence Grouse, Seattle, US; James C. Hogg, Vancouver, Canada; Dirkje S. Postma, Groningen, the Netherlands; Klaus F. Rabe, Leiden, the Netherlands; Scott D. Ramsey, Seattle, US; Stephen I. Rennard, Omaha, US; Roberto Rodriguez-Roisin, Barcelona, Spain; Nikos Siafakas, Heraklion, Greece; Sean D. Sullivan, Seattle, US; Wan-Cheng Tan, Singapore; Claude Lenfant, NHLBI, Bethesda, US; Nikolai Khaltaev, WHO, Geneva, Switzerland.
The pH-responsive transcription factor PacC regulates mycelial growth, fruiting body development, and ganoderic acid biosynthesis in Ganoderma lucidum

Abstract Ganoderma lucidum is a medicinal macrofungus that is widely used in traditional Chinese medicine. Nonetheless, the scarcity of basic biological studies of this organism has hindered the further development of its commercial value. The pH-responsive transcription factor PacC/Rim101 governs the adaptation to environmental pH, the development and the secondary metabolism of many fungi. In this study, a homologue of PacC/Rim101 that encodes GlPacC was identified in the higher basidiomycete G. lucidum. GlPacC is composed of 807 amino acids and contains three typical C2H2 zinc-finger domains, two potential PEST domains, a putative PKA phosphorylation site, and a putative nuclear localization signal (NLS). GlPacC was transcribed at a high level when the fungus was under neutral and alkaline conditions, and silencing of GlPacC impaired the fungal response to ambient pH. The distance between the hyphal branches (of vegetative hyphae and aerial hyphae) was significantly increased in the GlPacC-silenced strains. The GlPacC-silenced strains grew abnormally or became sickly on solid culture medium and were unable to form primordia and fruiting bodies. The ganoderic acid content, levels of the sqs and ls transcripts, and contents of the metabolic intermediates squalene and lanosterol were all up-regulated in the GlPacC-silenced strains. Our results indicate that GlPacC is functional and plays complex roles in mycelial growth, fruiting body development and ganoderic acid biosynthesis in G. lucidum.
A Highly Accelerated Parallel Multi-GPU based Reconstruction Algorithm for Generating Accurate Relative Stopping Powers

Low-dose Proton Computed Tomography (pCT) is an evolving imaging modality that is used in proton therapy planning which addresses the range uncertainty problem. The goal of pCT is generating a 3D map of relative stopping power measurements with high accuracy within clinically required time frames. Generating accurate relative stopping power values within the shortest amount of time is considered a key goal when developing an image reconstruction software. The existing image reconstruction softwares have successfully met this time frame and even exceeded this time goal, but require clusters with hundreds of processors. This paper describes a novel reconstruction technique using two graphics processing unit devices. The proposed reconstruction technique is tested on both simulated and experimental datasets and on two different systems namely Nvidia K40 and P100 graphics processing units from IBM and Cray. The experimental results demonstrate that our proposed reconstruction method meets both the timing and accuracy with the benefit of having reasonable cost and efficient use of power.
Photoperiodic effects on performance and leg abnormalities in broiler chickens.

Three experiments were conducted to examine the impact of changing photoperiod length on the performance of chicken broilers. Effect of long, constant (23-h) photoperiod length (23H) was compared with treatments where photoperiod increased from 6 to 23 h abruptly after 21 days (6H) or gradually during the experiment (INC). The 6H program was used in all three experiments, whereas the INC treatment was included only in Experiment 3. Differences between total body weight gains of birds in the 6H and 23H treatments were inconsistent and small in the three experiments. In Experiment 3, there were no differences between total body weight gains for INC, 6H, and 23H treatments. Feed-to-gain ratios for 6H broilers were significantly superior to those for birds on the 23H treatment for Days 0 to 21 (all experiments), Days 21 to 42 and Days 0 to 42 (Experiment 2), and inferior for Days 21 to 42 (Experiment 3). The INC treatment was significantly superior to the 23H program for all time periods and to 6H birds for Days 21 to 42 and Days 0 to 42. The 6H treatment significantly reduced the incidence of leg abnormalities in comparison with the 23H program in all experiments; the INC and 6H treatments were equal in incidence in Experiment 3. When data from the three experiments were combined, mortality due to sudden death syndrome and other causes for the 6H treatment was significantly lower than that of the 23H program; values for the 6H and INC treatments were not different in Experiment 3. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Canadian Practice Guidelines for Comprehensive Community Treatment for Schizophrenia and Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders

Objective: The objective of this review is to identify the features and components of a comprehensive system of services for people living with schizophrenia. A comprehensive system was conceived as one that served the full range of people with schizophrenia and was designed with consideration of the incidence and prevalence of schizophrenia. The system should provide access to the full range of evidence-based services, should be recovery oriented, and should provide patient-centred care. Method: A systematic search was conducted for published guidelines for schizophrenia and schizophrenia spectrum disorders. The guidelines were rated by at least 2 raters, and recommendations adopted were primarily drawn from the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (2014) Guideline on Psychosis and Schizophrenia in adults and the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network guidelines on management of schizophrenia. Results: The recommendations adapted for Canada cover the range of services required to provide comprehensive services. Conclusions: Comprehensive services for people with schizophrenia can be organized and delivered to improve the quality of life of people with schizophrenia and their carers. The services need to be organized in a system that provides access to those who need them.
The Mechanism of Room-Temperature Ionic-Liquid-Based Electrochemical CO2 Reduction: A Review

Electrochemical CO2 conversion technology is becoming indispensable in the development of a sustainable carbon-based economy. While various types of electrocatalytic systems have been designed, those based on room-temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) have attracted considerable attention because of their high efficiencies and selectivities. Furthermore, it should be possible to develop more advanced electrocatalytic systems for commercial use because target-specific characteristics can be fine-tuned using various combinations of RTIL ions. To achieve this goal, we require a systematic understanding of the role of the RTIL components in electrocatalytic systems, however, their role has not yet been clarified by experiment or theory. Thus, the purpose of this short review is to summarize recent experimental and theoretical mechanistic studies to provide insight into and to develop guidelines for the successful development of new CO2 conversion systems. The results discussed here can be summarized as follows. Complex physical and chemical interactions between the RTIL components and the reaction intermediates, in particular at the electrode surface, are critical for determining the activity and selectivity of the electrocatalytic system, although no single factor dominates. Therefore, more fundamental research is required to understand the physical, chemical, and thermodynamic characteristics of complex RTIL-based electrocatalytic systems.
Single‐use technology for solvent/detergent virus inactivation of industrial plasma products

Virus inactivation of plasma products is conducted using stainless‐steel vessels. Single‐use technology can offer significant benefits over stainless such as operational flexibility, reduced capital infrastructure costs, and increased efficiency by minimizing the time and validation requirements associated with hardware cleaning. This study qualifies a single‐use bag system for solvent/detergent (S/D) virus inactivation.
THE STRUCTURED CLINICAL INTERVIEW FOR COMPLICATED GRIEF: RELIABILITY, VALIDITY, AND EXPLORATORY FACTOR ANALYSIS

Complicated grief (CG) has been recently included in the DSM‐5, under the term “persistent complex bereavement disorder,” as a condition requiring further study. To our knowledge, no psychometric data on any structured clinical interview for CG (SCI‐CG) is available to date. In this manuscript, we introduce the SCI‐CG, a 31‐item “SCID‐like” clinician‐administered instrument to assess the presence of CG symptoms.
Per-node based optimal power control for multi-hop cognitive radio networks

Cognitive radio network (CRN) is a promising approach to improve spectrum efficiency for wireless networking. This paper investigates how to perform optimal power control on each node (or per-node based power control) in the network so as to optimize network performance. Per-node based power control is a difficult problem due to its large design space (i.e., interaction among the powers on different nodes in the network) and the coupling relationship between power control and upper layers (scheduling and routing). In this paper, we develop a formal mathematical model for joint power control, scheduling, and routing. We formulate a cross-layer optimization problem encompassing these three layers and develop a unified solution procedure based on branch-and-bound framework and convex hull relaxation. Using numerical results, we demonstrate the efficacy of the solution procedure and offer insights on the behavior of per-node based power control.
Modeling time‐varying exposure using inverse probability of treatment weights

For estimating the causal effect of treatment exposure on the occurrence of adverse events, inverse probability weights (IPW) can be used in marginal structural models to correct for time‐dependent confounding. The R package ipw allows IPW estimation by modeling the relationship between the exposure and confounders via several regression models, among which is the Cox model. For right‐censored data and time‐dependent exposures such as treatment switches, the ipw package allows a single switch, assuming that patients are treated once and for all. However, to accommodate multiple switches, we extend this package by implementing a function that allows for multiple and intermittent exposure status in the estimation of IPW using a survival model. This extension allows for the whole exposure treatment trajectory in the estimation of IPW. The impact of the estimated weights on the estimated causal effect, with both methods, is assessed in a simulation study. Then, the function is illustrated on a real dataset from a nationwide prospective observational cohort including patients with inflammatory bowel disease. In this study, patients received one or multiple medications (thiopurines, methotrexate, and anti‐TNF) over time. We used a Cox marginal structural model to assess the effect of thiopurines exposure on the cause‐specific hazard for cancer incidence considering other treatments as confounding factors. To this end, we used our extended function which is available online in the Supporting Information.
The concentration of different lipid classes during late embryonic development in a randombred turkey population and a subline selected for increased body weight at sixteen weeks of age.

Lipid changes in the yolk sac of the embryo were studied in a randombred population of turkeys (RBC2) and a subline of the RBC2 selected for increased BW at 16 wk (F line). Comparisons of yolk sac and embryonic development were made between 22 d of incubation and hatch (28 d). Poults from the F line had heavier yolk sacs from 24 to 28 d and yolk free body weight was also heavier at hatch (61.1 vs 52.8 g). Yolk sac lipid (percentage of DM) declined faster in F line embryos (69 to 39%) compared with the RBC2 line (62 to 48%). In both lines, embryonic liver dry matter and lipids (percentage of DM) were similar. Yolk sac neutral lipids increased from 22 to 28 d (70 to 80% total lipid) in both lines and there was a concomitant decline in phospholipids (30 to 20%). The direction of the changes was similar for embryonic liver lipid. At 26 and 28 d, there were significantly increased neutral lipids (94 vs 88%) and decreased phospholipids (6 vs 12%) in RBC2 compared with F line embryonic livers. The concentration of cholesterol esters (percentage of total lipid) increased in the yolk sac and embryonic liver during the course of incubation. At 26 and 28 d, livers from RBC2 embryos had increased cholesterol ester concentration compared with livers from the F line. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Effects of coccidiostats and dietary protein on performance and water consumption in broiler chickens.

Two, 7-week floor pen experiments were conducted consecutively with male broilers and then female broilers to determine the effects of feeding salinomycin (60 ppm), monensin (99 ppm), or lasalocid (125 ppm) at the following three levels of dietary protein: 1) that which meets National Research Council specifications (NRC, 1977), 2) that level deficient in sulfur amino acids (SAA), or 3) that deficient in protein. Group body weights, feed intake, and water consumption were noted at 28 and 49 days of age with feed efficiency and overall mortalities determined. Reducing SAA resulted in depressed (P less than .05) body weights at 7 weeks in both experiments, whereas deficient protein reduced (P less than .05) growth, feed efficiency, and water consumption. Generally, inclusion of coccidiostats in the diet did not significantly hinder growth or feed efficiency. Feeding of coccidiostats in combination with the low protein diet did not produce additional anorexigenic effects. Although a significant lasalocid SAA-sparing effect was not observed, diet X coccidiostat interactions (P less than .05) were apparent and attributable to an apparent "protein-sparing" effect upon body weight gain when salinomycin was fed in combination with the low protein diet. Lasalocid increased water consumption (P less than .05) relative to monensin in the female broilers.
A comparative study of Endoflare-Hero Shaper and Mtwo NiTi instruments in the preparation of curved root canals.

AIM To analyse the shaping ability of two new NiTi rotary systems in molar curved canals. METHODOLOGY Thirty molar root canals with curvatures from 24 degrees to 69 degrees were divided into two groups that were balanced in terms of curvature. The canals in one group were shaped using the Mtwo (Sweden & Martina, Padova, Italy) and the canals in the other group using the Endoflare-Hero Shaper (Micro-Mega, Besançon, France) in a modified sequence. Pre- and post-instrumentation X-rays were taken using a radiographic platform, with a contrast medium being used to enhance canal opacity. The dentine removed at five positions along the canals, the symmetry of canal shaping and the presence of aberrations were analysed through computer-aided measurements. The instrument failures, the working time and the changes in working length were also recorded. The Mann-Whitney U-test was used for statistical analyses. RESULTS Both systems produced uniform dentine removal and symmetrical canal shapes; there was no significant difference between the systems (P > 0.05). In the apical region, preparations were centred in the canal. A mean loss of working length of 0.55 mm for Mtwo and 0.58 mm for Endoflare-Hero Shaper was detected, with no significant differences between the instruments (P > 0.05). No aberrations were seen and no instruments separated. The mean working time was 124.4 s for the Mtwo system and 141.3 s for the Endoflare-Hero Shaper but this difference was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION The systems tested in this study were effective in shaping curved canals in extracted teeth.