Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Alp7-Mto1 and Alp14 synergize to promote interphase microtubule regrowth from the nuclear envelope

Abstract Microtubules grow not only from the centrosome but also from various noncentrosomal microtubule-organizing centers (MTOCs), including the nuclear envelope (NE) and pre-existing microtubules. The evolutionarily conserved proteins Mto1/CDK5RAP2 and Alp14/TOG/XMAP215 have been shown to be involved in promoting microtubule nucleation. However, it has remained elusive as to how the microtubule nucleation promoting factors are specified to various noncentrosomal MTOCs, particularly the NE, and how these proteins coordinate to organize microtubule assembly. Here, we demonstrate that in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, efficient interphase microtubule growth from the NE requires Alp7/TACC, Alp14/TOG/XMAP215, and Mto1/CDK5RAP2. The absence of Alp7, Alp14, or Mto1 compromises microtubule regrowth on the NE in cells undergoing microtubule repolymerization. We further demonstrate that Alp7 and Mto1 interdependently localize to the NE in cells without microtubules and that Alp14 localizes to the NE in an Alp7 and Mto1-dependent manner. Tethering Mto1 to the NE in cells lacking Alp7 partially restores microtubule number and the efficiency of microtubule generation from the NE. Hence, our study delineates that Alp7, Alp14, and Mto1 work in concert to regulate interphase microtubule regrowth on the NE.
Understanding and Accelerating Particle-Based Variational Inference

Particle-based variational inference methods (ParVIs) have gained attention in the Bayesian inference literature, for their capacity to yield flexible and accurate approximations. We explore ParVIs from the perspective of Wasserstein gradient flows, and make both theoretical and practical contributions. We unify various finite-particle approximations that existing ParVIs use, and recognize that the approximation is essentially a compulsory smoothing treatment, in either of two equivalent forms. This novel understanding reveals the assumptions and relations of existing ParVIs, and also inspires new ParVIs. We propose an acceleration framework and a principled bandwidth-selection method for general ParVIs; these are based on the developed theory and leverage the geometry of the Wasserstein space. Experimental results show the improved convergence by the acceleration framework and enhanced sample accuracy by the bandwidth-selection method.
T cell depletion in paediatric stem cell transplantation

Haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) can be a curative procedure for a growing number of paediatric diseases, but as the indications for HSCT grow, so does the need to find suitable stem cell donors. When the preferred option of a genoidentical sibling donor is not available alternative donors, including unrelated adult or umbilical cord blood donors, or haploidentical related donors may be considered. Outcome following alternative donor HSCT has improved over the past 20 years but graft‐versus‐host disease (GvHD) remains a significant obstacle. T cell depletion (TCD) for non‐genoidentical grafts aims to reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with GvHD, but this intervention has not led directly to improved survival due to delayed immune reconstitution and increased infections, graft rejection and increased rates of disease relapse. Limited data from the paediatric population, however, suggest some encouraging results for children undergoing haploidentical HSCT: a move from positive selection of CD34+ haematopoietic stem cells towards negative depletion of specific cell subsets in order to retain useful accessory cells within the graft appears to enhance immune reconstitution and improve disease‐free survival. Here we review recent paediatric outcome data for T cell‐depleted HSCT, explore the role of serotherapy in conditioning regimens and look at future possibilities to improve outcome, including novel allodepletion techniques, suicide gene therapy and pathogen‐specific immunotherapy.
The ALMA Discovery of the Rotating Disk and Fast Outflow of Cold Molecular Gas in NGC 1275

We present observations using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array of the CO(2−1), HCN(3−2), and HCO+(3−2) lines in the nearby radio galaxy/brightest cluster galaxy (BCG) NGC 1275 with a spatial resolution of ∼20 pc. In previous observations, the CO(2−1) emission was detected as radial filaments lying in the east–west direction on a kiloparsec scale. We resolved the inner filament and found that it cannot be represented by a simple infalling stream on a sub-kiloparsec scale. The observed complex nature of the filament resembles the cold gas structure predicted by numerical simulations of cold chaotic accretion. Within the central 100 pc, we detected a rotational disk of molecular gas whose mass is ∼108 M⊙. This is the first evidence of the presence of a massive cold gas disk on this spatial scale for BCGs. A crude estimate suggests that the accretion rate of the cold gas can be higher than that of hot gas. The disk rotation axis is approximately consistent with the radio-jet axis. This probably suggests that the cold gas disk is physically connected to the innermost accretion disk, which is responsible for jet launching. We also detected absorption features in the HCN(3−2) and HCO+(3−2) spectra against the radio continuum emission mostly radiated by a jet of size ∼1.2 pc. The absorption features are blueshifted from the systemic velocity by ∼300–600 km s−1, suggesting the presence of outflowing gas from the active galactic nucleus (AGN). We discuss the relation of the AGN feeding with cold accretion, the origin of blueshifted absorption, and an estimate of the black hole mass using molecular gas dynamics.
Autonomous Penetration Testing using Reinforcement Learning

Penetration testing (pentesting) involves performing a controlled attack on a computer system in order to assess it's security. Although an effective method for testing security, pentesting requires highly skilled practitioners and currently there is a growing shortage of skilled cyber security professionals. One avenue for alleviating this problem is automate the pentesting process using artificial intelligence techniques. Current approaches to automated pentesting have relied on model-based planning, however the cyber security landscape is rapidly changing making maintaining up-to-date models of exploits a challenge. This project investigated the application of model-free Reinforcement Learning (RL) to automated pentesting. Model-free RL has the key advantage over model-based planning of not requiring a model of the environment, instead learning the best policy through interaction with the environment. We first designed and built a fast, low compute simulator for training and testing autonomous pentesting agents. We did this by framing pentesting as a Markov Decision Process with the known configuration of the network as states, the available scans and exploits as actions, the reward determined by the value of machines on the network. We then used this simulator to investigate the application of model-free RL to pentesting. We tested the standard Q-learning algorithm using both tabular and neural network based implementations. We found that within the simulated environment both tabular and neural network implementations were able to find optimal attack paths for a range of different network topologies and sizes without having a model of action behaviour. However, the implemented algorithms were only practical for smaller networks and numbers of actions. Further work is needed in developing scalable RL algorithms and testing these algorithms in larger and higher fidelity environments.
Milk and Dairy Product Consumption and Inflammatory Biomarkers: An Updated Systematic Review of Randomized Clinical Trials.

Milk and dairy products contribute ≤14% of the caloric intake in developed countries. Recent evidence has shown controversial results with regard to the role of dairy products in deleterious processes such as inflammation. The increasing number of studies on the anti- and proinflammatory effects of milk and dairy products in the past 5 y reflects the growing interest in this area of research. The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the scientific evidence provided in the past 5 y on the effects of milk and dairy products on inflammatory biomarkers provided by randomized clinical trials. The search strategy was conducted in Medline (via PubMed) and Scopus (which includes EMBASE and the Web of Science) databases and included articles from 1 January 2012 to 30 April 2018. The risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane methodology. The number of study participants, type of study, doses, and the key results are reported. The following primary outcomes were considered for inclusion: circulating concentrations of C-reactive protein, interleukins, cytokines, and vascular adhesion molecules or expression of proinflammatory genes in peripheral blood mononuclear cells; however, the primary outcomes considered were not limited to these. Sixteen studies (15 articles) included in this systematic review reported on healthy individuals and subjects who were overweight or obese and who had metabolic syndrome or type 2 diabetes. The consumption of milk or dairy products did not show a proinflammatory effect in healthy subjects or individuals with metabolic abnormalities. The majority of studies documented a significant anti-inflammatory effect in both healthy and metabolically abnormal subjects, although not all the articles were of high quality. This review was registered on PROSPERO (International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews) at https://www.crd. york.ac. uk/prospero/display_record. php? RecordID=94535 as CRD42018094535.
H-indices of Academic Pediatricians of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences

Background: Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar are three major sources which provide h-indices for individual researchers. In this study we aimed to compare the h-indices of the academic pediatricians of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences obtained from the above mentioned sources. Method: Academic pediatrician who had at least 5 ISI indexed articles entered the study. Information required for evaluating the h-indices of the included researchers were retrieved from official websites Web of Science (WOS), Scopus, and Google Scholar (GS). Correlations between obtained h-indices from the mentioned databases were analyzed using Spearrman correlation coefficient. Ranks of each researcher according to each database h-index were also evaluated. Results: In general, 16 pediatricians entered the study. Computed h-indices for individual authors were different in each database. Correlations between obtained h-indices were: 0.439 (ISI and Scopus), 0.488 (ISI and GS), and 0.810 (Scopus and GS). Despite differences between evaluated h-indices in each database for individual authors, the rankings according to these h-indices were almost similar. Conclusion: Although h-indices supplied by WOS, SCOPUS, and GS can be used interchangeably, their differences should be acknowledged. Setting up “ReasercherID” in WOS and “User profile” in GS, and giving regular feedback to SCOPUS can increase the validity of the calculated h-indices.
Report Septin 7 Is Critical for Dendrite Branching and Dendritic-Spine Morphology

Septins, a highly conserved family of GTP-binding proteins, were originally identified in a genetic screen for S. cerevisiae mutants defective in cytokinesis [1, 2]. In yeast, septins maintain the compartmentalization of the yeast plasma membrane during cell division by forming rings at the cortex of the bud neck, and these rings establish a lateral diffusion barrier. In contrast, very little is known about the functions of septins in mammalian cells [3, 4] including postmitotic neurons [5–7]. Here, we show that Septin 7 (Sept7) localizes at the bases of filopodia and at branch points in developing hippocampal neurons. Upon downregulation of Sept7, dendritic branching is impaired. In mature neurons, Sept7 is found at the base of dendritic spines where it associates with the plasma membrane. Mature Sept7-deficient neurons display elongated spines. Furthermore, Sept5 and Sept11 colocalize with Sept7 and coimmunoprecipitate with Sept7, thereby arguing for the existence of a Septin5/7/11 complex. Taken together, our findings show an important role for Sept7 in regulating dendritic branching and dendritic-spine morphology. Our observations concur with data from yeast, in which downregulation of septins yields elongated buds, suggesting a conserved function for septins from yeast to mammals.
The use of drug detection dogs in Sydney, Australia.

INTRODUCTION AND AIMS At present there is little research into the use of drug detection dogs. The present study sought to explore the use of detection dogs in Sydney, Australia, utilising multiple data sources. DESIGN AND METHODS; Data were taken from interviews with 100 regular ecstasy users and 20 key experts as part of the 2006 New South Wales arm of the Ecstasy and Related Drugs Reporting System, and secondary data sources. RESULTS The majority of regular ecstasy users reported taking some form of precaution if made aware that dogs would be at an event they were attending. A small proportion of the sample reported consuming their drugs when coming into contact with detection dogs. One group of key experts viewed the use of detection dogs as useful; one group disliked the use of detection dogs though cooperated with law enforcement when dogs were used; and one group considered that detection dogs contribute to greater harm. Secondary data sources further suggested that the use of detection dogs do not significantly assist police in identifying and apprehending drug suppliers. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS The present study suggests that regular ecstasy users do not see detection dogs as an obstacle to their drug use. Future research is necessary to explore in greater depth the experiences that drug users have with detection dogs; the effect detection dogs may have on deterring drug consumption; whether encounters with detection dogs contribute to drug-related harm; and the cost-benefit analysis of this law enforcement exercise.
RNA Interference Silencing of a Major Lipid Droplet Protein Affects Lipid Droplet Size in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

ABSTRACT Eukaryotic cells store oils in the chemical form of triacylglycerols in distinct organelles, often called lipid droplets. These dynamic storage compartments have been intensely studied in the context of human health and also in plants as a source of vegetable oils for human consumption and for chemical or biofuel feedstocks. Many microalgae accumulate oils, particularly under conditions limiting to growth, and thus have gained renewed attention as a potentially sustainable feedstock for biofuel production. However, little is currently known at the cellular or molecular levels with regard to oil accumulation in microalgae, and the structural proteins and enzymes involved in the biogenesis, maintenance, and degradation of algal oil storage compartments are not well studied. Focusing on the model green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, the accumulation of triacylglycerols and the formation of lipid droplets during nitrogen deprivation were investigated. Mass spectrometry identified 259 proteins in a lipid droplet-enriched fraction, among them a major protein, tentatively designated major lipid droplet protein (MLDP). This protein is specific to the green algal lineage of photosynthetic organisms. Repression of MLDP gene expression using an RNA interference approach led to increased lipid droplet size, but no change in triacylglycerol content or metabolism was observed.
Depression during multiple sclerosis relapse: relation to disability and relapse severity.

AIM To examine the presence of depressive symptoms in patients with multiple sclerosis relapse and its relation to disability and relapse severity. METHODS This study included 120 patients who were assessed during the acute relapse of multiple sclerosis according to Mc Donald criteria. Depression was assessed using Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II) calculating both affective and somatic symptom scores. The Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) measured disability. Relapse severity was graded according to the difference between the EDSS score during relapse and EDSS score before the onset of the attack as mild, moderate or severe. RESULTS There was statistically significant difference between patients with different level of depression considering age (p<0.001), disability (p<0.001), relapse severity (p=0.005) and disease duration (p=0.032). Significant moderate positive correlation of depression with age (rho=0.43) and disability (rho=0.46) was confirmed. There was moderate correlation between disability and somatic symptoms of depression (rho=0.54, p<0.001) with only weak correlation between disability and affective symptoms of depression (rho=0.31, p<0.01). Multiple regression analysis showed that patient's age and relapse severity (p<0.05) were independently related to depression in these patients while disability did not. CONCLUSION Correlation between disability and depression was mostly due to somatic symptoms of depression. Although highly correlated, depression during multiple sclerosis relapse was not independently predicted by disability. Depression should be recognized and treated independently from disability treatment, especially in the group of older patients with more severe relapse.
A Prosthetic Hand Body Area Controller Based on Efficient Pattern Recognition Control Strategies

Poliarticulated prosthetic hands represent a powerful tool to restore functionality and improve quality of life for upper limb amputees. Such devices offer, on the same wearable node, sensing and actuation capabilities, which are not equally supported by natural interaction and control strategies. The control in state-of-the-art solutions is still performed mainly through complex encoding of gestures in bursts of contractions of the residual forearm muscles, resulting in a non-intuitive Human-Machine Interface (HMI). Recent research efforts explore the use of myoelectric gesture recognition for innovative interaction solutions, however there persists a considerable gap between research evaluation and implementation into successful complete systems. In this paper, we present the design of a wearable prosthetic hand controller, based on intuitive gesture recognition and a custom control strategy. The wearable node directly actuates a poliarticulated hand and wirelessly interacts with a personal gateway (i.e., a smartphone) for the training and personalization of the recognition algorithm. Through the whole system development, we address the challenge of integrating an efficient embedded gesture classifier with a control strategy tailored for an intuitive interaction between the user and the prosthesis. We demonstrate that this combined approach outperforms systems based on mere pattern recognition, since they target the accuracy of a classification algorithm rather than the control of a gesture. The system was fully implemented, tested on healthy and amputee subjects and compared against benchmark repositories. The proposed approach achieves an error rate of 1.6% in the end-to-end real time control of commonly used hand gestures, while complying with the power and performance budget of a low-cost microcontroller.
Prevention of eating disorders in argentine adolescents

ABSTRACT In the last few decades much effort has been devoted to developing prevention programs for eating disorders, as most individuals with these pathologies do not receive treatment and tend to become chronic. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a cognitive dissonance and media literacy intervention aimed at preventing eating disorders in female adolescents. Eighty-eight female students (aged 12–17) from Argentina, participated in a 3-session program. Adolescents completed a baseline, post-intervention and a 6-month follow-up survey. A significant decrease in thin-ideal internalization, body image concerns, influence of advertising, drive for thinness and bulimic attitudes was found at post-intervention. In addition, the number of participants with disturbed eating attitudes and behaviors decreased at post-intervention. Results for body image concerns and drive for thinness were maintained at follow-up.
Call for a Multidisciplinary Effort to Map the Lymphatic System with Advanced Medical Imaging Techniques: A Review of the Literature and Suggestions for Future Anatomical Research

This review intends to rekindle efforts to map the lymphatic system by using a more modern approach, based on medical imaging. The structure, function, and pathologies associated with the lymphatic system are first discussed to highlight the need for more accurately mapping the lymphatic system. Next, the need for an interdisciplinary approach, with a central role for the anatomist, to come up with better maps of the lymphatic system is emphasized. The current approaches on lymphatic system research involving medical imaging will be discussed and suggestions will be made for an all‐encompassing effort to thoroughly map the entire lymphatic system. A first‐hand account of our integration as anatomists in the radiotherapy department is given as an example of interdisciplinary collaboration. From this account, it will become clear that the interdisciplinary collaboration of anatomists in the clinical disciplines involved in lymphatic system research/treatment still holds great promise in terms of improving clinical regimens that are currently being employed. As such, we hope that our fellow anatomists will join us in an interdisciplinary effort to map the lymphatic system, because this could, in a relatively short timeframe, provide improved treatment options for patients with cancer or lymphatic pathologies all over the world. Anat Rec, 302:1681–1695, 2019. © 2019 American Association for Anatomy
Cardiotoxicity with immune system targeting drugs: a meta-analysis of anti-PD/PD-L1 immunotherapy randomized clinical trials.

Background: With antiprogrammed death receptor-1 (anti-PD-L1) therapy, a recent meta-analysis reported higher incidence of cutaneous, endocrine and gastrointestinal complications especially with dual anti-PD-L1 immunotherapy (IMM). Methods: Our primary outcome was assessment of all cardiotoxicity grades in IMM compared with different treatments, thus a systemic review and a meta-analysis on randomized clinical trials (RCTs) were done. Results: We included 11 RCTs with 6574 patients (3234 patients in IMM arm vs 3340 patients in the other arm). Three non-small-cell lung cancer RCTs, seven melanoma RCTs and only one prostatic cancer RCT met the inclusion criteria. There were five RCTs that compared monoimmunotherapy to chemotherapy "(n = 2631 patients)". No difference exists in all cardiotoxicity grades or high-grade cardiotoxicity (p > 0.05). Lung cancer exhibited a higher response rate and lower mortality in IMM. Conclusion: There was no reported statistically significant cardiotoxicity associated with anti-PD/PD-L1 use. Lung cancer subgroups showed better response and survival rates.