Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Indicators for Environment Health Risk Assessment in the Jiangsu Province of China

According to the framework of “Pressure-State-Response”, this study established an indicator system which can reflect comprehensive risk of environment and health for an area at large scale. This indicator system includes 17 specific indicators covering social and economic development, pollution emission intensity, air pollution exposure, population vulnerability, living standards, medical and public health, culture and education. A corresponding weight was given to each indicator through Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) method. Comprehensive risk assessment of the environment and health of 58 counties was conducted in the Jiangsu province, China, and the assessment result was divided into four types according to risk level. Higher-risk counties are all located in the economically developed southern region of Jiangsu province and relatively high-risk counties are located along the Yangtze River and Xuzhou County and its surrounding areas. The spatial distribution of relatively low-risk counties is dispersive, and lower-risk counties mainly located in the middle region where the economy is somewhat weaker in the province. The assessment results provide reasonable and scientific basis for Jiangsu province Government in formulating environment and health policy. Moreover, it also provides a method reference for the comprehensive risk assessment of environment and health within a large area (provinces, regions and countries).
Trans10, cis12 conjugated linoleic acid increases triacylglycerol accumulation in goat mammary epithelial cells in vitro.

Trans10, cis12 conjugated linoleic acid (t10c12-CLA) is well-established in decreasing milk fat content and causing milk fat depression (MFD) in dairy cattle and goats. However, the detailed mechanisms of its effect are not completely understood. Therefore, we used goat mammary epithelial cells (GMECs) to further study the molecular mechanisms whereby t10c12-CLA regulates milk fat synthesis. The optimal concentration of t10c12-CLA (100 μmol/L) for cell culture was determined through a cell vitality and morphology assay, and evaluation of abundance of apoptosis-related proteins. Oil red O stain indicated that t10c12-CLA increased concentration of cytoplasmic lipid droplets. Furthermore, t10c12-CLA increased the intracellular triacylglycerol (TG) content (P < 0.05). Among 16 genes related to lipid metabolism that were measured by quantitative real-time PCR, t10c12-CLA down-regulated (P < 0.05) genes involved in de novo fatty acid synthesis including FASN, ACACA and SCD1, and also down-regulated the protein expression of FASN and SCD1 but up-regulated (P < 0.05) the expression of CD36 and ADRP. Overall, the data indicate that a side effect of de novo fatty acid synthesis inhibition by t10c12-CLA is the up-regulation of fatty acid uptake and accumulation of lipid droplets in GMECs. The biologic reason for such an effect merits further study.
Lipids, blood pressure, kidney – what was new in 2011?

The year 2011 was very interesting regarding new studies, trials and guidelines in the field of lipidology, hypertensiology and nephrology. Suffice it to mention the new European Society of Cardiology (ESC)/European Atherosclerosis Society (EAS) guidelines on the management of dyslipidaemias, American College of Cardiology Foundation (ACCF)/American Heart Association (AHA) guidelines on hypertension in the elderly, and many important trials presented among others during the American Society of Nephrology (ASN) Annual Congress in Philadelphia and the AHA Annual Congress in Orlando. The paper is an attempt to summarize the most important events and reports in the mentioned areas in the passing year.
Dissociation Between Brown Adipose Tissue 18F-FDG Uptake and Thermogenesis in Uncoupling Protein 1–Deficient Mice

18F-FDG PET imaging is routinely used to investigate brown adipose tissue (BAT) thermogenesis, which requires mitochondrial uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1). It remains uncertain, however, whether BAT 18F-FDG uptake is a reliable surrogate measure of UCP1-mediated heat production. Methods: UCP1 knockout (KO) and wild-type (WT) mice housed at thermoneutrality were treated with the selective β3 adrenergic receptor agonist CL 316, 243 and underwent metabolic cage, infrared thermal imaging and 18F-FDG PET/MRI experiments. Primary brown adipocytes were additionally examined for their bioenergetics by extracellular flux analysis as well as their uptake of 2-deoxy-3H-glucose. Results: In response to CL 316, 243 treatments, oxygen consumption, and BAT thermogenesis were diminished in UCP1 KO mice, but BAT 18F-FDG uptake was fully retained. Isolated UCP1 KO brown adipocytes exhibited defective induction of uncoupled respiration whereas their glycolytic flux and 2-deoxy-3H-glucose uptake rates were largely unaffected. Conclusion: Adrenergic stimulation can increase BAT 18F-FDG uptake independently of UCP1 thermogenic function.
Sexual expression in paraplegia.

live births and this includes both familial and non-familial cases. There were 1068 children born in Seascale between 1950 and 1983.2 There would have to be a 20-fold increase in incidence before a single case was expected in this population. It is nonsense to state that retinoblastoma should be "generally more common in Seascale. " Similar arguments apply to Millom rural district. It is the extreme rarity of retinoblastoma that makes the observation of five cases linked to Seascale so extraordinary and noteworthy. The ideas in our paper are neither confusing nor contradictory. The data, in fact, strongly suggest a link between retinoblastoma and residence in Seascale. The nature of the association remains to be determined, but it is wrong to imply that radiation can be excluded as the causative agent.
Filtering of Visual Information in the Tectum by an Identified Neural Circuit

Small Is Attractive The optic tectum of zebrafish larvae is required for the detection, tracking, and capture of small, highly motile prey. Del Bene et al. (p. 669) applied a combination of optical, genetic, and pharmacological tools to investigate how neural circuits in the optic tectum filter out low-frequency visual information. Most tectal neurons were tuned to respond selectively to small, moving objects in the fish's visual environment and responded very poorly to large stimuli. This spatial filtering mechanism depended on the activity of a small population of GABAergic, inhibitory interneurons at the tectal surface. Inactivation or destruction of these interneurons removed the size selectivity of deeper neurons and the zebrafish lost their ability to catch prey. A neural circuit in zebrafish is preferentially activated by small visual stimuli, facilitating the capture of prey. The optic tectum of zebrafish is involved in behavioral responses that require the detection of small objects. The superficial layers of the tectal neuropil receive input from retinal axons, while its deeper layers convey the processed information to premotor areas. Imaging with a genetically encoded calcium indicator revealed that the deep layers, as well as the dendrites of single tectal neurons, are preferentially activated by small visual stimuli. This spatial filtering relies on GABAergic interneurons (using the neurotransmitter γ-aminobutyric acid) that are located in the superficial input layer and respond only to large visual stimuli. Photo-ablation of these cells with KillerRed, or silencing of their synaptic transmission, eliminates the size tuning of deeper layers and impairs the capture of prey.
Unexpected positive and negative effects of continuing inbreeding in one of the world's most inbred wild animals

Inbreeding depression, the reduced fitness of offspring of related individuals, is a central theme in evolutionary biology. Inbreeding effects are influenced by the genetic makeup of a population, which is driven by any history of genetic bottlenecks and genetic drift. The Chatham Island black robin represents a case of extreme inbreeding following two severe population bottlenecks. We tested whether inbreeding measured by a 20‐year pedigree predicted variation in fitness among individuals, despite the high mean level of inbreeding and low genetic diversity in this species. We found that paternal and maternal inbreeding reduced fledgling survival and individual inbreeding reduced juvenile survival, indicating that inbreeding depression affects even this highly inbred population. Close inbreeding also reduced survival for fledglings with less‐inbred mothers, but unexpectedly improved survival for fledglings with highly inbred mothers. This counterintuitive interaction could not be explained by various potentially confounding variables. We propose a genetic mechanism, whereby a highly inbred chick with a highly inbred parent inherits a “proven” genotype and thus experiences a fitness advantage, which could explain the interaction. The positive and negative effects we found emphasize that continuing inbreeding can have important effects on individual fitness, even in populations that are already highly inbred.
Femoral shaft fractures

It appears that both the retrograde and antegrade approach to treating femoral shaft fractures yield high union and similar malunion rates. Those receiving antegrade nailing may heal faster although this was not consistent. Knee pain appears more common after retrograde nailing, whereas there were consistent findings in hip pain and heterotopic ossification predominating in those patients receiving antegrade nailing. Neither appears to significantly increase the risk of other complications. Functional outcomes cannot be determined.
New Noninvasive Ultrasound Techniques: Can They Predict Liver Cirrhosis?

Objective This study aimed to determine the threshold values and accuracy of 2 noninvasive techniques, contrast-enhanced ultrasound with maximum-intensity projection (MIP) imaging and ultrasound elastography, acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI), to differentiate a normal from a cirrhotic liver. Materials and Methods One hundred thirty-two patients were predicted clinically as having a normal liver (n = 60) or cirrhosis (n = 72). All had MIP liver vessel evaluation on an Acuson Sequoia and 90 of them had ARFI on an S2000 (Siemens, Mountain View, Calif). Two readers reviewed 4 parameters on MIP data and predicted cirrhosis (n = 65) or normal (n = 67) outcome. They were considered as having cirrhosis when more than 1 MIP parameter was positive. Acoustic radiation force impulse values above 1.36 m/s suggested cirrhosis. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of the ARFI measurement and to extract the optimal cutoff value in the differentiation of a cirrhotic liver from a noncirrhotic liver. Results Sixty-four patients (64/65, 98.5%) with abnormal and 8 (8/59, 13.6%) with normal vessels on MIP imaging were clinically cirrhosis (P < 0.001). Forty-five patients (45/49, 91.8%) with abnormal ARFI (≥1.36 m/s) and 6 (6/41, 14.6%) with normal ARFI (<1.36 m/s) had a clinical cirrhotic liver (P < 0.001). Sensitivity and specificity of MIP of vessel morphology to predict cirrhosis were 89% (64/72) and 98% (59/60), respectively. Acoustic radiation force impulse showed a sensitivity of 88% (45/51) and a specificity of 90% (35/39), and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.932, suggesting very good accuracy. The combination of ARFI and MIP showed increased sensitivity and specificity to 95.8% and 100%. Conclusions Liver evaluation with MIP and ARFI contributes to a noninvasive prediction of cirrhosis.
Structure of the female gonoduct of the viviparous teleost Poecilia reticulata (Poeciliidae) during nongestation and gestation stages

Female teleosts do not have oviducts because Müllerian ducts do not develop. Instead, the caudal region of the ovary, the gonoduct, connects to the exterior. Because of the lack of oviducts in viviparous teleosts, the embryos develop in the ovary, as an intraovarian gestation, unique in vertebrates. This is the first study to address the histology of the gonoduct in a viviparous teleost. The gonoduct of Poecilia reticulata was analyzed during previtellogenesis, vitellogenesis, and gestation. The gonoduct lacks germinal cells. From deep to superficial, the wall has simple cuboidal or columnar epithelium, loose connective tissue, longitudinal layer of smooth muscle, and visceral peritoneum. Cells of the immune system occur in the lumen and in the mucosa. The gonoduct was divided in three regions: 1) cephalic, 2) middle, and 3) caudal. At the initial part of each region, thin mucosal folds extend into the lumen. The cephalic region forms a tubular structure with light and irregular folds. The middle region has a wider lumen and is more irregular due to ventral invaginations and irregular and short mucosal folds; beneath the epithelium there are melano‐macrophage centers. The caudal region is delimited from the middle region by folds; however, they are thinner than these of the other regions. Ventral invaginations form exocrine glands, and the smooth muscle is thicker than in the other regions. During gestation, cells of the immune system are abundant; melano‐macrophage centers become larger and the glands exhibit desquamated cells. These observations suggest roles of the gonoduct in reducing the diameter of the lumen; receiving sperm during vitellogenesis; producing secretions, more abundant during vitellogenesis; and in immunological activity throughout the reproductive cycle. The ciliated epithelium and the thick muscle of the caudal region may be involved during birth. J. Morphol. 275:247–257, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Electricity generation by microorganisms in the sediment-water interface of an extreme acidic microcosm.

The attachment of microorganisms to electrodes is of great interest for electricity generation in microbial fuel cells (MFC) or other applications in bioelectrochemical systems (BES). In this work, a microcosm of the acidic ecosystem of Río Tinto was built and graphite electrodes were introduced at different points. This allowed the study of electricity generation in the sediment/water interface and the involvement of acidophilic microorganisms as biocatalysts of the anodic and cathodic reactions in a fuel-cell configuration. Current densities and power outputs of up to 3.5 A/m² and 0.3 W/m², respectively, were measured at pH 3. Microbial analyses of the electrode surfaces showed that Acidiphilium spp. , which uses organic compounds as electron donors, were the predominant biocatalysts of the anodic reactions, whereas the aerobic iron oxidizers Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans and Leptospirillum spp. were detected mainly on the cathode surface.
Dual inhibition of Ang-2 and VEGF receptors normalizes tumor vasculature and prolongs survival in glioblastoma by altering macrophages

Significance Inhibition of the VEGF/VEGF receptor (VEGFR) pathway has failed to increase overall survival in phase III trials in patients with glioblastoma (GBM). Previously we identified the angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2)/TEK receptor tyrosine kinase (Tie-2) pathway as a potential driver of resistance to VEGF inhibition in GBM. Here we show that dual inhibition of VEGFRs and Ang-2 inhibits tumor growth and prolongs vessel normalization compared with VEGFR inhibition alone, resulting in improved survival in murine GBM models. Furthermore, by blocking macrophage recruitment, we demonstrate that macrophages contribute to the beneficial effects of dual therapy. Glioblastomas (GBMs) rapidly become refractory to anti-VEGF therapies. We previously demonstrated that ectopic overexpression of angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) compromises the benefits of anti-VEGF receptor (VEGFR) treatment in murine GBM models and that circulating Ang-2 levels in GBM patients rebound after an initial decrease following cediranib (a pan-VEGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor) administration. Here we tested whether dual inhibition of VEGFR/Ang-2 could improve survival in two orthotopic models of GBM, Gl261 and U87. Dual therapy using cediranib and MEDI3617 (an anti–Ang-2–neutralizing antibody) improved survival over each therapy alone by delaying Gl261 growth and increasing U87 necrosis, effectively reducing viable tumor burden. Consistent with their vascular-modulating function, the dual therapies enhanced morphological normalization of vessels. Dual therapy also led to changes in tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs). Inhibition of TAM recruitment using an anti–colony-stimulating factor-1 antibody compromised the survival benefit of dual therapy. Thus, dual inhibition of VEGFR/Ang-2 prolongs survival in preclinical GBM models by reducing tumor burden, improving normalization, and altering TAMs. This approach may represent a potential therapeutic strategy to overcome the limitations of anti-VEGFR monotherapy in GBM patients by integrating the complementary effects of anti-Ang2 treatment on vessels and immune cells.
Association of a cancer diagnosis with vulnerability and frailty in older Medicare beneficiaries.

BACKGROUND Few studies have evaluated the independent effect of a cancer diagnosis on vulnerability and frailty, which have been associated with adverse health outcomes in older adults. METHODS We used data in the 2003 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey from a nationally representative sample of 12,480 community-dwelling elders. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to evaluate whether cancer was independently associated with vulnerability and frailty. Measures of vulnerability and frailty included disability, geriatric syndromes, self-rated health, and scores on two assessment tools for elderly cancer patients-the Vulnerable Elders Survey-13 (VES-13) and the Balducci frailty criteria. All statistical tests were two-sided. RESULTS Diagnosis of a non-skin cancer was reported by 18.8% of the respondents. Compared with respondents without a cancer history, respondents with a personal history of cancer had a statistically significantly higher prevalence of limitations in activities of daily living (31.9% vs 26.9%), limitations in instrumental activities of daily living (49.5% vs 42.3%), geriatric syndromes (60.8% vs 53.9%), low self-rated health (27.4% vs 20.9%), score of 3 or higher on the VES-13 (45.8% vs 39.5%), and satisfying criteria for frailty as defined by Balducci (79.6% vs 73.4%) (P < .001 for all characteristics). After adjustment for confounders, a cancer diagnosis was found to be associated with low self-rated health (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 1.46, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.30 to 1.64; relative risk [RR] = 1.33), limitations in activities of daily living (adjusted OR = 1.19, 95% CI = 1.06 to 1.33; RR = 1.13), limitations in instrumental activities of daily living (adjusted OR = 1.25, 95% CI = 1.13 to 1.38; RR = 1.13), a geriatric syndrome (adjusted OR = 1.27, 95% CI = 1.15 to 1.41; RR = 1.11), VES-13 score of 3 or higher (adjusted OR = 1.26, 95% CI = 1.13 to 1.41; RR = 1.14), and frailty (adjusted OR = 1.46, 95% CI = 1.29 to 1.65; RR = 1.09) as defined by Balducci criteria. CONCLUSION Diagnosis of a non-skin cancer was associated with increased levels of having disability, having geriatric syndromes, and meeting criteria for vulnerability and frailty.
Double maturation raisonnée: the impact of on-vine berry dehydration on the berry and wine composition of Merlot (Vitis vinifera L.).

BACKGROUND Double maturation raisonnée (DMR) is a potential canopy measure that affects grape and wine composition. The aim of this work was to study for the first time the DMR impact on the physical, biochemical and sensorial characteristics of the berries and wines of Merlot, one of the world's fastest-expanding grapevine varieties. RESULTS DMR significantly increased the content of soluble solids (1.2-fold), free amino nitrogen (1.8-fold) and acidity in berries but decreased the weight of 100 berries on harvest (approx. 28%). Irrespective of the vintage, DMR-treated grapes had a significantly higher content of non-astringent tannins (0.73-0.78 mg L-1 ) and anthocyanin extractability (34.7-36.4%) but a lower index of astringency (31.2-33.7) when compared to the control. Consequently, the DMR wines achieved higher alcohol, total acidity and extract, hydroxycinnamic acids, flavanol and flavonol contents, whereas the content of anthocyanins was similar to that of the control. Sensorial evaluation showed that DMR wines were not rated higher and would not be appreciated more than control wines. CONCLUSION Changes in berries during DMR altered the wine characteristics only in terms of primary metabolites. A reduced accumulation of phenolics, especially anthocyanin content, in the berry skin of DMR-treated grapes was not reflected in their presence in wines. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first paper that has reported an impact of DMR on the grape and wine composition of Merlot, as one of the most promising red varieties. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.
Language Concordance and Patient–Physician Communication Regarding Mental Health Needs

Language‐related communication barriers between minority patients and their physicians may contribute to racial and ethnic disparities in mental health care. Accordingly, the current study sought to examine whether perceived mental health needs and discussion of these needs differed as a function of race or ethnicity and language concordance in older Latinos and Asian and Pacific Islanders (APIs). Using the 2007 California Health Interview Survey, the analytical sample included Latinos and APIs aged 55 and older (N = 2,960) who reported having seen a primary care provider within the past 2 years. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine differences according to race or ethnicity and language concordance status (three groups: English‐language concordant, other‐language concordant, language discordant) in perceived mental health needs and discussion of those needs with a physician, adjusting for respondents’ sociodemographic characteristics and mental health status. There were no significant differences in respondents’ perceptions of their mental health needs across race or ethnicity or level of language concordance status (Ps > .41), although there were significant differences in whether respondents had discussed their mental health needs with their physicians according to participant race or ethnicity and language concordance status (adjusted odds ratio = 0.47, P = .04). Specifically, Spanish language‐concordant Latinos were just as likely to discuss their mental health needs with their physicians as English language‐concordant Latinos. In contrast, Asian language‐concordant APIs were less likely to discuss their mental health needs with their physicians than English language‐concordant APIs. There were no significant differences between language‐discordant and English language‐concordant older adults in predicting discussion of mental health concerns. These findings underscore the importance of overcoming language‐related and cultural barriers to improve patient‐provider discussions of older adults’ mental health needs.
Graph Homomorphisms and Phase Transitions

We model physical systems with “hard constraints” by the space Hom(G, H) of homomorphisms from a locally finite graph G to a fixed finite constraint graph H. For any assignment ? of positive real activities to the nodes of H, there is at least one Gibbs measure on Hom(G, H); when G is infinite, there may be more than one. When G is a regular tree, the simple, invariant Gibbs measures on Hom(G, H) correspond to node-weighted branching random walks on H. We show that such walks exist for every H and ? , and characterize those H which, by admitting more than one such construction, exhibit phase transition behavior.