Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Correlation of Expression Levels of Micro Ribonucleic Ccid-10b (miR-10b) and Micro Ribonucleic Acid-181b (miR-181b) with Gastric Cancer and Its Diagnostic Significance

Background The aim of this study was to explore the expression levels of micro ribonucleic acid-10b (miR-10b) and micro ribonucleic acid-181b (miR-181b) in gastric cancer tissues, as well as their application value in clinical diagnosis and treatment. Material/Methods A total of 120 patients with gastric cancer who were diagnosed and treated in the Department of Gastroenterology of our hospital were enrolled in this study. The gastric cancer tissues and paracancerous tissues were collected for measuring the expression of miR-10b and miR-181b by in situ hybridization and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The 5-year survival rate was also analyzed. Results The expressions of miR-10b and miR-181b in gastric cancer tissues were both upregulated and were significantly higher than those in the paracancerous tissues (p<0.05). In addition, the expressions of miR-10b and miR-181b in gastric cancer tissues were correlated with tumor size, degree of pathological differentiation, depth of infiltration, tumor node metastasis (TNM) staging, and lymph node metastasis, as well as local lymph node and distant metastasis (p<0.05). For patients in stage II and III, the expressions of miR-10b and miR-181b were significantly correlated with the 5-year survival rate. Conclusions The high expressions of miR-10b and miR-181b are significantly correlated with poor prognosis in stage II and III patients with gastric cancer, suggesting that their expressions might be criteria for evaluating the prognosis of gastric cancer.
Effects of secretome on cisplatin-induced testicular dysfunction in rats

Background: Testicular dysfunction is a degenerative disorder characterized by failure in the synthesis of reproductive hormones and spermatogenesis. Secretome derived from the human umbilical mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) has been reported to repair some degenerative disorders. Aim: This study aimed to investigate the effect of secretome derived from the human umbilical MSCs on cisplatin-induced testicular dysfunction in rats. Materials and Methods: Thirty-six male Wistar rats were divided into the control and secretome-treated groups. In the secretome-treated group, testicular dysfunction was induced by 3 mg/kg BW of cisplatin intraperitoneally 3 times with 3-day intervals. The secretome-treated group was divided according to dose: Low-dose (0.2 mL/kg BW) and high-dose (0.5 mL/kg BW) groups. Secretomes were injected intraperitoneally once a week for 3 weeks. 1 week after the injection of secretome, the cauda epididymis of the rats was removed for spermatozoa evaluation and histological examination. Result: After the injection of secretome, the sperm motility of the high-dose group showed thin wave-like, rare, and slow movements. No abnormal sperm morphology was observed in all the treated groups. The number of spermatozoa increased gradually in the high-dose group after the injection of secretome. The developmental stages of the spermatogenic cells were complete in both spermatozoa groups after the injection of secretome. However, the spermatozoa in the seminiferous tubules of the high-dose group were denser. Vimentin and cytokeratin immunoreactivities were very strong in the high-dose group 1 week after the second secretome injection. Conclusion: High-dose secretome derived from the human fetal umbilical cord could increase the number and motility of sperms in rats with cisplatin-induced testicular dysfunction. The administration of high-dose secretome was effective 1 week after the second dose, as indicated by very strong immunoreactivity for vimentin and cytokeratin. Moreover, secretome could promote the regeneration of the seminiferous tubules of both the groups.
Photothermal exposure of polydopamine-coated branched Au–Ag nanoparticles induces cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, and autophagy in human bladder cancer cells

Purpose Polydopamine-coated branched Au–Ag nanoparticles (Au–Ag@PDA NPs) exhibit good structural stability, biocompatibility, and photothermal performance, along with potential anticancer efficacy. Here, we investigated the cytotoxicity of Au–Ag@PDA NPs against human bladder cancer cells (T24 cells) in vitro and in vivo, as well as the underlying molecular mechanisms of photothermal therapy-induced T24 cell death. Materials and methods T24 cells were treated with different doses of Au–Ag@PDA NPs followed by 808 nm laser irradiation, and the effects on cell proliferation, cell cycle, apoptosis, and autophagy were analyzed. To confirm the mechanisms of inhibition, real-time PCR and Western blot analysis were used to evaluate markers of cell cycle, apoptosis, autophagy, and the AKT/ERK signaling pathway. Moreover, we evaluated the effects of the treatment on mitochondrial membrane potential and ROS generation to confirm the underlying mechanisms of inhibition. Finally, we tested the T24 tumor inhibitory effects of Au–Ag@PDA NPs plus laser irradiation in vivo using a xenograft mouse model. Results Au–Ag@PDA NPs, with appropriate laser irradiation, dramatically inhibited the proliferation of T24 cells, altered the cell cycle distribution by increasing the proportion of cells in the S phase, induced cell apoptosis by activating the mitochondria-mediated intrinsic pathway, and triggered a robust autophagy response in T24 cells. Moreover, Au–Ag@PDA NPs decreased the expression of phosphorylated AKT and ERK and promoted the production of ROS that function upstream of apoptosis and autophagy. In addition, Au–Ag@PDA NP-mediated photothermolysis also significantly suppressed tumor growth in vivo. Conclusion This preclinical study can provide a mechanistic basis for Au–Ag@PDA NP-mediated photothermal therapy toward promotion of this method in the clinical treatment of bladder cancer.
Clinical characteristics and thromboembolic risk of atrial fibrillation patients with and without congestive heart failure. Results from the CRATF study

Abstract Congestive heart failure (CHF) and atrial fibrillation (AF) frequently coexist and are associated with increased risk of cardiovascular events. To compare baseline characteristics, comorbidities and pharmacotherapy in AF patients with concomitant CHF to those without CHF. The study included 3506 real-life AF patients with (37.1%) and without CHF — participants of the multicentre, retrospective MultiCenter expeRience in AFib patients Treated with OAC (CRAFT) trial (NCT02987062). All patients were treated with non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOAC) or vitamin K antagonists (VKA). The frequency of NOAC among patients with and without CHF was 45.6% and 43.2%, respectively (P = .17). Patients with CHF were older (73.3 vs 64.7 years, P <.001), less likely to be women (37.4% vs 42%, P = .007), had higher CHA2DS2-VASc score (3.8 ± 1.7 vs 2.6 ± 1.8, P <.001), more often had permanent AF (53.0% vs 13.4%, P <.001), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (16.7% vs 4.9%, P <.001), coronary artery disease (64.3% vs 29.8%, P <.001), peripheral vascular disease (65.3% vs 31.4%, P <.001), chronic kidney disease (43.1% vs 10.0%, P <.001), liver fibrosis (5.7% vs 2.6%, P <.001), neoplasm (9.6% vs 7.3%, P = .05), history of composite of stroke, transient ischemic attack or systemic embolization (16.2% vs 10.7%, P <.001), pacemaker (27.4% vs 22.1%, P = .004), implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (22.7% vs 0.8%, P <.001) or transaortic valve implantation (4.0% vs 0.8%, P <.001), cardiac resynchronization therapy (8.7% vs 0.3%, P <.001), composite of kidney transplantation, hemodialysis or creatinine level > 2.26 mg/dL (3.6% vs 0.8%, P <.001) and had less often hypertension (69.4% vs 72.5%, P = .05). Patients with AF and CHF had a higher thromboembolic risk and had more concomitant diseases.
Valorization of Tomato Processing by-Products: Fatty Acid Extraction and Production of Bio-Based Materials

A method consisting of the alkaline hydrolysis of tomato pomace by-products has been optimized to obtain a mixture of unsaturated and polyhydroxylated fatty acids as well as a non-hydrolysable secondary residue. Reaction rates and the activation energy of the hydrolysis were calculated to reduce costs associated with chemicals and energy consumption. Lipid and non-hydrolysable fractions were chemically (infrared (IR) spectroscopy, gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC-MS)) and thermally (differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA)) characterized. In addition, the fatty acid mixture was used to produce cutin-based polyesters. Freestanding films were prepared by non-catalyzed melt-polycondensation and characterized by Attenuated Total Reflected-Fourier Transform Infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy, solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), DSC, TGA, Water Contact Angles (WCA), and tensile tests. These bio-based polymers were hydrophobic, insoluble, infusible, and thermally stable, their physical properties being tunable by controlling the presence of unsaturated fatty acids and oxygen in the reaction. The participation of an oxidative crosslinking side reaction is proposed to be responsible for such modifications.
Self-injuring adolescent girls exhibit insular cortex volumetric abnormalities that are similar to those seen in adults with borderline personality disorder

Abstract Self-inflicted injury (SII) in adolescence is a serious public health concern that portends prospective vulnerability to internalizing and externalizing psychopathology, borderline personality development, suicide attempts, and suicide. To date, however, our understanding of neurobiological vulnerabilities to SII is limited. Behaviorally, affect dysregulation is common among those who self-injure. This suggests ineffective cortical modulation of emotion, as observed among adults with borderline personality disorder. In borderline samples, structural and functional abnormalities are observed in several frontal regions that subserve emotion regulation (e.g., anterior cingulate, insula, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex). However, no volumetric analyses of cortical brain regions have been conducted among self-injuring adolescents. We used voxel-based morphometry to compare cortical gray matter volumes between self-injuring adolescent girls, ages 13–19 years (n = 20), and controls (n = 20). Whole-brain analyses revealed reduced gray matter volumes among self-injurers in the insular cortex bilaterally, and in the right inferior frontal gyrus, an adjacent neural structure also implicated in emotion and self-regulation. Insular and inferior frontal gyrus gray matter volumes correlated inversely with self-reported emotion dysregulation, over-and-above effects of psychopathology. Findings are consistent with an emotion dysregulation construal of SII, and indicate structural abnormalities in some but not all cortical brain regions implicated in borderline personality disorder among adults.
Pharmacological Activation of PXR and CAR Downregulates Distinct Bile Acid-Metabolizing Intestinal Bacteria and Alters Bile Acid Homeostasis

The gut microbiome regulates important host metabolic pathways including xenobiotic metabolism and intermediary metabolism, such as the conversion of primary bile acids (BAs) into secondary BAs. The nuclear receptors pregnane X receptor (PXR) and constitutive androstane receptor (CAR) are well-known regulators for xenobiotic biotransformation in liver. However, little is known regarding the potential effects of PXR and CAR on the composition and function of the gut microbiome. To test our hypothesis that activation of PXR and CAR regulates gut microbiota and secondary BA synthesis, 9-week-old male conventional and germ-free mice were orally gavaged with corn oil, PXR agonist PCN (75 mg/kg), or CAR agonist TCPOBOP (3 mg/kg) once daily for 4 days. PCN and TCPOBOP decreased two taxa in the Bifidobacterium genus, which corresponded with decreased gene abundance of the BA-deconjugating enzyme bile salt hydrolase. In liver and small intestinal content of germ-free mice, there was a TCPOBOP-mediated increase in total, primary, and conjugated BAs corresponding with increased Cyp7a1 mRNA. Bifidobacterium, Dorea, Peptociccaceae, Anaeroplasma, and Ruminococcus positively correlated with T-UDCA in LIC, but negatively correlated with T-CDCA in serum. In conclusion, PXR and CAR activation downregulates BA-metabolizing bacteria in the intestine and modulates BA homeostasis in a gut microbiota-dependent manner.
Does Limited Working Memory Capacity Underlie Age Differences in Associative Long-Term Memory?

Past research has consistently shown that episodic memory (EM) declines with adult age and, according to the associative-deficit hypothesis, the locus of this decline is binding difficulties. We investigated the importance of establishing and maintaining bindings in working memory (WM) for age differences in associative EM. In Experiment 1 we adapted the presentation rate of word pairs for each participant to achieve 67% correct responses during a WM test of bindings in young and older adults. EM for the pairs was tested thereafter in the same way as WM. Equating WM for bindings between young and older adults reduced, but did not fully eliminate, the associative EM deficit in the older adults. In Experiment 2 we varied the set size of word pairs in a WM test, retaining the mean presentation rates for each age group from Experiment 1. If a WM deficit at encoding causes the EM deficit in older adults, both WM and EM performance should decrease with increasing set size. Against this prediction, increasing set size did not affect EM. We conclude that reduced WM capacity does not cause the EM deficit of older adults. Rather, both WM and EM deficits are reflections of a common cause, which can be compensated for by longer encoding time.
The Fourth International Neonatal and Maternal Immunization Symposium (INMIS 2017): Toward Integrating Maternal and Infant Immunization Programs

This report provides an overview of the proceedings of the 4th International Maternal and Neonatal Immunization Symposium, where presentations focused on the state-of-the-art research on the development and implementation of vaccines given during pregnancy for the protection of mothers and infants. ABSTRACT Prevention of serious infections in pregnant mothers, newborns, and young infants through immunization during pregnancy and in early life has the potential to further reduce maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality worldwide. In the past decade, research in this field has advanced substantially, from the understanding of the biology and immunology of pregnancy and early life, to the active development of several candidate vaccines, for which challenges and opportunities for global implementation are under consideration. Experts from academia, industry, regulatory and funding agencies, public health, and international organizations met in Brussels (Belgium) from 10 to 12 September 2017, at the 4th International Neonatal and Maternal Immunization Symposium (INMIS), to review the most relevant advances in maternal and neonatal immunization. The overarching focus of the conference was to identify the path forward to achieve integration of maternal and early life immunization strategies for the successful implementation of vaccines in antenatal care and pediatric programs for reduction of maternal and infant mortality worldwide. IMPORTANCE This report provides an overview of the proceedings of the 4th International Maternal and Neonatal Immunization Symposium, where presentations focused on the state-of-the-art research on the development and implementation of vaccines given during pregnancy for the protection of mothers and infants.
Phloridzin, an Apple Polyphenol, Exerted Unfavorable Effects on Bone and Muscle in an Experimental Model of Type 2 Diabetes in Rats

It is believed that apple fruits contain components with health-promoting effects, including some antidiabetic activity. One of the most known apple compounds is phloridzin, a glucoside of phloretin. Phloridzin and phloretin were reported to exert some favorable skeletal effects in estrogen-deficient rats and mice. The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of phloridzin on musculoskeletal system in rats with type 2 diabetes induced by a high-fat diet (HFD) and streptozotocin (STZ). The experiments were performed on mature female Wistar rats, divided into control rats (fed a standard laboratory diet), HFD/STZ control rats, and HFD/STZ rats receiving phloridzin (20 or 50 mg/kg/day per os) for four weeks. Serum biochemical parameters, muscle mass and strength, bone mass, density, histomorphometric parameters and mechanical properties were determined. The HFD/STZ rats developed hyperglycemia, with decreases in the muscle mass and strength and profound osteoporotic changes. Phloridzin at 20 mg/kg markedly augmented the unfavorable effects of diabetes on the muscle mass and strength and decreased growth of bones, whereas, at 50 mg/kg, it did not affect most of the investigated musculoskeletal parameters. Results of the study indicate the possibility of unfavorable effects of phloridzin on the musculoskeletal system in conditions of hyperglycemia.
Hybridisation‐based target enrichment of phenology genes to dissect the genetic basis of yield and adaptation in barley

Summary Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) is a major cereal grain widely used for livestock feed, brewing malts and human food. Grain yield is the most important breeding target for genetic improvement and largely depends on optimal timing of flowering. Little is known about the allelic diversity of genes that underlie flowering time in domesticated barley, the genetic changes that have occurred during breeding, and their impact on yield and adaptation. Here, we report a comprehensive genomic assessment of a worldwide collection of 895 barley accessions based on the targeted resequencing of phenology genes. A versatile target‐capture method was used to detect genome‐wide polymorphisms in a panel of 174 flowering time‐related genes, chosen based on prior knowledge from barley, rice and Arabidopsis thaliana. Association studies identified novel polymorphisms that accounted for observed phenotypic variation in phenology and grain yield, and explained improvements in adaptation as a result of historical breeding of Australian barley cultivars. We found that 50% of genetic variants associated with grain yield, and 67% of the plant height variation was also associated with phenology. The precise identification of favourable alleles provides a genomic basis to improve barley yield traits and to enhance adaptation for specific production areas.
The retinoprotective role of phenytoin

Phenytoin is a non-sedative barbiturate derivate and has been recently rediscovered as a neuroprotective and retinoprotective compound in patients affected by optic neuritis secondary to multiple sclerosis. However, currently there are still no neuroprotective compounds registered and available in the clinic. We reviewed the literature supporting the retinoprotective properties of phenytoin and analyzed the various approaches and definitions from the first research periods onwards. The retinoprotective role of phenytoin was already known in the 1970s, but only recently has this effect been rediscovered, confirming that it could indeed provide structural protection of the retinal cells.
Identification of critically carcinogenesis-related genes in basal cell carcinoma

Background Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is a frequent malignant tumor of skin cancers with high morbidity. The objective of this study was to identify critical genes and pathways related to the carcinogenesis of BCC and gain more insights into the underlying molecular mechanisms of BCC. Materials and methods The gene expression profiles of GSE7553 and GSE103439 were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus database with 19 tumors and 6 normal skin tissues. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were screened between BCC samples and normal tissues, followed by gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analysis. Subsequently, protein–protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed for these DEGs, and module analysis was performed. Results A total of 313 DEGs were obtained. Among them, 222 genes were upregulated and 91 genes were downregulated. Enrichment analysis indicated that the upregulated genes were significantly enriched in cell cycle and mitosis, while the downregulated genes were mainly associated with unsaturated fatty acid metabolic process and cell differentiation. In addition, TOP2A, CDK1, and CCNB1 were identified as the top three hub genes ranked by degrees in the PPI network. Meanwhile, three subnetworks were derived, which indicated that these DEGs were significantly enriched in pathways, including “cell cycle”, “extracellular matrix–receptor interaction”, “basal cell carcinoma”, and “hedgehog signaling pathway”. Conclusions The novel critical DEGs and pathways identified in this study may serve pivotal roles in the carcinogenesis of BCC and indicate more molecular targets for the treatment of BCC.
The Correlations of Plasma and Cerebrospinal Fluid Amyloid-Beta Levels with Platelet Count in Patients with Alzheimer's Disease

Purpose Recent study shows that blood-derived amyloid-beta (Aβ) can induce cerebral amyloidosis and is involved in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The vast majority of blood Aβ is generated from platelet. Whether blood Aβ levels are associated with the count of platelets remains unknown. Methods 58 clinically diagnosed AD patients, 18 11C-PIB-PET diagnosed AD patients, and 61 age- and gender-matched cognitively normal controls were included to analyze the correlation of plasma Aβ levels with platelet count. 13 AD patients and 40 controls with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples were included to further analyze the correlation of CSF Aβ levels with platelet count. Aβ40 and Aβ42 levels in plasma and CSF were measured by ELISA kits. Results The plasma Aβ42 level was positively correlated with platelet count in both AD patients and control group, especially in AD patients with positive PIB-PET, while there was no correlation as to Aβ40. The CSF Aβ levels also had no significant correlation with platelet count. Conclusion It suggests that platelets may be involved in the pathogenesis of AD and become a potential peripheral biomarker for AD.
Analysis of Multilingual Sequence-to-Sequence speech recognition systems

This paper investigates the applications of various multilingual approaches developed in conventional hidden Markov model (HMM) systems to sequence-to-sequence (seq2seq) automatic speech recognition (ASR). On a set composed of Babel data, we first show the effectiveness of multi-lingual training with stacked bottle-neck (SBN) features. Then we explore various architectures and training strategies of multi-lingual seq2seq models based on CTC-attention networks including combinations of output layer, CTC and/or attention component re-training. We also investigate the effectiveness of language-transfer learning in a very low resource scenario when the target language is not included in the original multi-lingual training data. Interestingly, we found multilingual features superior to multilingual models, and this finding suggests that we can efficiently combine the benefits of the HMM system with the seq2seq system through these multilingual feature techniques.