Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of Subcortical Atrophy and Alzheimer’s Pathology on Cognition in Elderly Type 2 Diabetes: The Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative Study

Background Subcortical atrophy and increased cerebral β-amyloid and tau deposition are linked to cognitive decline in type 2 diabetes. However, whether and how subcortical atrophy is related to Alzheimer’s pathology in diabetes remains unclear. This study therefore aimed to investigate subcortical structural alterations induced by diabetes and the relationship between subcortical alteration, Alzheimer’s pathology and cognition. Methods Participants were 150 patients with type 2 diabetes and 598 propensity score-matched controls without diabetes from the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative. All subjects underwent cognitive assessments, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and apolipoprotein E (ApoE) genotyping, with a subset that underwent amyloid positron emission tomography (PET) and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) assays to determine cerebral β-amyloid deposition (n = 337) and CSF p-tau (n = 433). Subcortical structures were clustered into five modules based on Pearson’s correlation coefficients of volumes across all subjects: the ventricular system, the corpus callosum, the limbic system, the diencephalon, and the striatum. Using structural equation modeling (SEM), we investigated the relationships among type 2 diabetes, subcortical structural alterations, and AD pathology. Results Compared with the controls, the diabetic patients had significant reductions in the diencephalon and limbic system volumes; moreover, patients with longer disease duration (>6 years) had more severe volume deficit in the diencephalon. SEM suggested that type 2 diabetes, age, and the ApoE ε4 allele (ApoE-ε4) can affect cognition via reduced subcortical structure volumes (total effect: age > ApoE-ε4 > type 2 diabetes). Among them, age and ApoE-ε4 strongly contributed to AD pathology, while type 2 diabetes neither directly nor indirectly affected AD biomarkers. Conclusion Our study suggested the subcortical atrophy mediated the association of type 2 diabetes and cognitive decline. Although both type 2 diabetes and AD are correlated with subcortical neurodegeneration, type 2 diabetes have no direct or indirect effect on the cerebral amyloid deposition and CSF p-tau.
Imaging Glioblastoma With 18F-Fluciclovine Amino Acid Positron Emission Tomography

Introduction Conventional methods of imaging brain tumors fail to assess metabolically active tumor regions, which limits their capabilities for tumor detection, localization, and response assessment. Positron emission tomography (PET) with 18F-fluciclovine (fluciclovine) provides regional assessment of amino acid uptake in tumors that could overcome some of the limitations of conventional imaging. However, the biological basis of enhanced fluciclovine uptake is insufficiently characterized in brain tumors, which confounds clinical interpretation and application. This study sought to address this gap by correlating multiple biologic quantities with fluciclovine PET uptake across a range of human glioblastoma xenograft models. Methods Thirty-one rats underwent orthotopic implantations with one of five different human glioblastoma cell lines. After tumors were established, fluciclovine PET and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans were performed. The fluciclovine tumor-to-normal-brain (TN) uptake ratio was used to quantify fluciclovine uptake. MRI scans were used to assess tumor volume and gadolinium enhancement status. Histologic assessments quantified tumor cell proliferation, tumor cell density, and tumor cell amino acid transporters (LAT1 and ASCT2). Multivariate linear regression models related fluciclovine uptake with the other measured quantities. Results Within the multivariate regression, the fluciclovine TN uptake ratio (measured 15 to 35 minutes after fluciclovine injection) was most strongly associated with tumor ASCT2 levels (β=0.64; P=0.001). The fluciclovine TN uptake ratio was also significantly associated with tumor volume (β=0.45; P=0.001) and tumor enhancement status (β=0.40; P=0.01). Tumor cell proliferation, tumor cell density, and LAT1 levels were not significantly associated with fluciclovine uptake in any of the multivariate models. In general, both enhancing and non-enhancing tumors could be visualized on fluciclovine PET images, with the median TN uptake ratio across the five tumor lines being 2.4 (range 1.1 to 8.9). Conclusions Increased fluciclovine PET uptake was associated with increased levels of the amino acid transporter ASCT2, suggesting fluciclovine PET may be useful for assessing brain tumor amino acid metabolism. Fluciclovine PET uptake was elevated in both enhancing and non-enhancing tumors but the degree of uptake was greater in larger tumors and tumors with enhancement, indicating these variables could confound fluciclovine metabolic measurements if not accounted for.
The Data Efficiency of Deep Learning Is Degraded by Unnecessary Input Dimensions

Biological learning systems are outstanding in their ability to learn from limited training data compared to the most successful learning machines, i.e., Deep Neural Networks (DNNs). What are the key aspects that underlie this data efficiency gap is an unresolved question at the core of biological and artificial intelligence. We hypothesize that one important aspect is that biological systems rely on mechanisms such as foveations in order to reduce unnecessary input dimensions for the task at hand, e.g., background in object recognition, while state-of-the-art DNNs do not. Datasets to train DNNs often contain such unnecessary input dimensions, and these lead to more trainable parameters. Yet, it is not clear whether this affects the DNNs' data efficiency because DNNs are robust to increasing the number of parameters in the hidden layers, and it is uncertain whether this holds true for the input layer. In this paper, we investigate the impact of unnecessary input dimensions on the DNNs data efficiency, namely, the amount of examples needed to achieve certain generalization performance. Our results show that unnecessary input dimensions that are task-unrelated substantially degrade data efficiency. This highlights the need for mechanisms that remove task-unrelated dimensions, such as foveation for image classification, in order to enable data efficiency gains.
Umbilical Venous Catheter Update: A Narrative Review Including Ultrasound and Training

The umbilical venous catheter (UVC) is one of the most commonly used central lines in neonates. It can be easily inserted soon after birth providing stable intravenous access in infants requiring advanced resuscitation in the delivery room or needing medications, fluids, and parenteral nutrition during the 1st days of life. Resident training is crucial for UVC placement. The use of simulators allows trainees to gain practical experience and confidence in performing the procedure without risks for patients. UVCs are easy to insert, however when the procedure is performed without the use of ultrasound, there is a quite high risk, up to 40%, of non-central position. Ultrasound-guided UVC tip location is a simple and learnable technique and therefore should be widespread among all physicians. The feasibility of targeted training on the use of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) for UVC placement in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) among neonatal medical staff has been demonstrated. Conversely, UVC-related complications are very common and can sometimes be life-threatening. Despite UVCs being used by neonatologists for over 60 years, there are still no standard guidelines for assessment or monitoring of tip location, securement, management, or dwell time. This review article is an overview of the current knowledge and evidence available in the literature about UVCs. Our aim is to provide precise and updated recommendations on the use of this central line.
A Literature Review of the Use of Weeds and Agricultural and Food Industry By-Products to Feed Farmed Crickets (Insecta; Orthoptera; Gryllidae)

Global socioeconomic systems exacerbate disparities that leave a disturbing proportion of the human population malnourished, making conventional food sources such as animal livestock unsustainable at global scales. Edible insects have the potential to solve both malnourishment and the unsustainability of conventional livestock agriculture. The sustainability and accessibility of farmed, edible insects, however, depends on their feed source. Future expansion of farming rests on developing locally available and affordable insect feeds. This article presents a literature review of studies which evaluate the performance of edible crickets (Orthoptera) in response to alternative feed sources such as weeds and the byproducts of agricultural and food industries. For each insect species evaluated, we analyze measurements of feed and insect performance, feed composition, effects of diet on cricket growth and survivorship, as well as other sources of performance differences. The aim of this review is to assess the current state of alternative feed research for farmed crickets and to provide guidelines for future studies on alternative feeds.
Impact of Prosthesis-Patient Mismatch on Hemodynamics During Exercise in Patients With Aortic Stenosis After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation With a Balloon-Expandable Valve

Background There is no evidence of hemodynamic performance during exercise in patients with aortic stenosis (AS) after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). This study aimed to investigate the changes in kinematic hemodynamics during exercise and determine the impact of prosthesis-patient mismatch (PPM) on the hemodynamics of transcatheter heart valves using exercise stress echocardiography (ESE) in AS patients after TAVI. Methods and Results This study enrolled 77 consecutive patients (mean age 82 ± 5 years, 50.6% male) who underwent ESE 3–6 months after TAVI with a balloon-expandable valve. The effective orifice area index at rest was significantly correlated with the mean pressure gradient (PG) during exercise (p <0.001). The patients were divided into two groups according to the presence of PPM (PPM and non-PPM groups). During exercise, the patients with PPM had a higher left ventricular ejection fraction (74.6 ± 6.1% vs. 69.7 ± 9.6%, p = 0.048), a lower stroke volume index (47.2 ± 14.0 ml/m2 vs. 55.6 ± 14.5 ml/m2, p = 0.037), a significantly higher mean transvalvular PG (21.9 ± 9.1 mmHg vs. 12.2 ± 4.9 mmHg, p = 0.01) and an increased mean PG from rest to exercise (5.7 ± 3.5 mmHg vs. 2.3 ± 2.8 mmHg, p <0.001) compared with patients without PPM. Patients with PPM had a higher pulmonary artery systolic pressure (SPAP) during exercise (57.3 ± 13.8 mmHg vs. 49.7 ± 10.9 mmHg, p = 0.021) and a higher incidence of exercise-induced pulmonary hypertension (43.8 vs. 15.0%, p = 0.037) than patients without PPM. PPM was strongly associated with exercise-induced pulmonary hypertension (hazard ratio: 3.570, p = 0.013). Conclusions AS patients with PPM after TAVI showed a disproportionate increase in the transvalvular PG and SPAP during exercise, and PPM was associated with exercise-induced pulmonary hypertension.
Metabolism-Associated Gene Signatures for FDG Avidity on PET/CT and Prognostic Validation in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Introduction The prognostic value of F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (FDG PET/CT) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) was established in previous reports. However, there is no evidence suggesting the prognostic value of transcriptomes associated with tumor FDG uptake in HCC. It was aimed to elucidate metabolic genes and functions associated with FDG uptake, followed by assessment of those prognostic value. Methods Sixty HCC patients with Edmondson–Steiner grade II were included. FDG PET/CT scans were performed before any treatment. RNA sequencing data were obtained from tumor and normal liver tissue. Associations between each metabolism-associated gene and tumor FDG uptake were investigated by Pearson correlation analyses. A novel score between glucose and lipid metabolism-associated gene expression was calculated. In The Cancer Genome Atlas Liver Hepatocellular Carcinoma dataset, the prognostic power of selected metabolism-associated genes and a novel score was evaluated for external validation. Results Nine genes related to glycolysis and the HIF-1 signaling pathway showed positive correlations with tumor FDG uptake; 21 genes related to fatty acid metabolism and the PPAR signaling pathway demonstrated negative correlations. Seven potential biomarker genes, PFKFB4, ALDOA, EGLN3, EHHADH, GAPDH, HMGCS2, and ENO2 were identified. A metabolic gene expression balance score according to the dominance between glucose and lipid metabolism demonstrated good prognostic value in HCC. Conclusions The transcriptomic evidence of this study strongly supports the prognostic power of FDG PET/CT and indicates the potential usefulness of FDG PET/CT imaging biomarkers to select appropriate patients for metabolism-targeted therapy in HCC.
Using Extract From the Stems and Leaves of Yizhi (Alpiniae oxyphyllae) as Feed Additive Increases Meat Quality and Intestinal Health in Ducks

Yizhi (Alpiniae Oxyphyllae, A. oxyphylla) has been widely used as an important traditional Chinese medicinal herb for centuries. Existing studies have shown that A. oxyphylla has numerous benefits in human and animal health. We hypothesized that extract from the stems and leaves of A. oxyphylla (AOE) as a feed additive may have positive effects on animal health and products. Thus, this study was conducted to evaluate the effects of AOE as a feed additive on growth performance, serum biochemical parameters, intestinal morphology, microbial composition, and meat quality in Jiaji ducks. A total of 240 Jiaji ducks of 42 days old (1675.8 ± 44.2 g, male: female ratio = 1:1) were blocked based on body weight and randomly allocated into four dietary treatments with three replicates that each had 20 duck individuals. The dietary treatments included: basal diet, control group (CK); basal diet supplementation with 30 mg/kg (Y1), 80 mg/kg (Y2), and 130 mg/kg (Y3) AOE, respectively, and lasted for 49 days. The results showed that average daily feed intake from day 42 to day 60 was decreased with the increasing level of AOE (P < 0.05). Compared with the CK group, the groups with AOE supplementation decreased serum LDL-C level (P < 0.05), the addition of 30 mg/kg AOE increased total amino acids, essential amino acids, branched-chain amino acids, nonessential amino acids, and umami taste amino acids (P < 0.05), but decreased selenium and zinc concentrations in breast muscle (P < 0.05). In addition, the supplementation of 30 or 130 mg/kg AOE significantly increased jejunal villus height (P < 0.05) and tended to increase the ratio of villus height to crypt depth in the jejunum (P = 0.092) compared to the CK group. Moreover, the addition of 30 mg/kg AOE showed a higher abundance of genus unclassified Bacteroidales and genus unclassified Ruminococcaceae than the CK group (P < 0.05). Therefore, dietary supplementation with 30 mg/kg AOE increased meat nutrition profile and flavor through promoting amino acid contents in breast muscle, as well as maintained intestine integrity and modulated the microbial composition. In conclusion, AOE as an antibiotic alternative displayed potential in maintaining intestinal health and improving meat quality.
Physiological Response of Soybean Plants to Water Deficit

Soybean is an important cash crop in the world, and drought is the main reason for the loss of soybean plants productivity, with drought stress during the most water-sensitive flowering period of soybeans. In this article, drought-tolerant variety Heinong 44 (HN44) and drought-sensitive variety Heinong 65 (HN65) were used as experimental materials. Drought treatment was carried out at the early flowering stage. The method of controlling soil moisture content was used to simulate different degrees of drought, and the physiological changes of these two varieties of soybean under different soil moisture contents were studied. The results showed that with a decrease in soil moisture content, the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) in soybean leaves increased significantly; the activities of peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT), and ascorbic acid peroxidase (APX) increased first and then decreased; the content of proline, soluble sugar, and soluble protein increased; and the total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) increased significantly. When the soil moisture content was 15.5%, the degree of membrane lipid peroxidation, osmotic regulatory substances, antioxidant enzyme activity, and T-AOC increased the most, and the decrease in drought-tolerant variety HN44 was significantly less than that of drought-sensitive variety HN65. Our research reveals the response law of soybean crops to physiological characteristics under water deficit and provides theoretical basis and guiding significance for drought-resistant cultivation and breeding of soybean.
Manipulation of gene targeting frequency in mammalian cells

Gene targeting is a technique for the manipulation of the genome through homologous recombination with exogenous DNA fragments (targeting vectors). In conjunction with embryonic stem (ES) cell technology, this technique has become one of the most powerful tools in molecular biology for the analysis of gene expression and regulation in mice. With the development of nuclear transfer from somatic cells in several species, gene targeting can now be utilised for the design of more accurate animal models for human diseases and the generation of genetically modified livestock. However, its use is limited by the low frequency of homologous recombination in somatic cells. Future applications of gene targeting, such as the development of human gene therapies, will also require dramatic improvements in the efficiency of homologous recombination. The aim of this work has been to devise strategies for the stimulation of gene targeting efficiency in ttrv. Using a very sensitive test system based on the directly selectable knockout of the HPRT gene in ES cells in ziit,v, a variety of experimental approaches were assessed for their ability to enhance effective targeting frequency measured as the ratio of homologous to total integrants. These can be grouped into three main subcategories: (1) Modifications of the targeting vector (nuclear localisation signals, dsRNA vectors); (2) Alteration of the target conditions (methylation status, chromatin configuration); and (3) Manipulation of the expression of recombinationrelated genes (down-regulation of homologous recombination repressors and overexpression of recombinases). Loss of p53, Ku80 or DNA-PK function did not result in enhanced targeting efficiency in ES cells. In contrast, constitutive overexpression of the eukaryotic recombinase Rad5l yielded a 4-fold increase in effective targeting frequency compared to wild-type control cells. Significant increases were also observed in Dnmtl -/and poly(ADP-ribosyl)polymerase (PARP) -defective cells, as well as in cells treated with chemical inhibitors of PARP activity. These results contribute to the knowledge of the mechanisms underlying homologous recombination in mammalian cells, and suggest possible avenues of research to overcome the practical limitations of gene targeting.
S0960258521000234jra 300..310

Functional traits related to regeneration responses to the environment are highly determinants of distribution patterns of plant communities. A large body of studies on seed traits suggests that regional climate may act as a strong filter of plant recruitment; however, few studies have evaluated the relative importance of seed traits and environmental filters for seed persistence at the population level. We tested the role of seed mass, water content and desiccation tolerance, as well as the germination time as proxies for seed tolerance to environmental filters (water deficit, heat shock and high temperatures) by comparing the response of tree species co-occurring in savannas located in different regions: Cerrado biome of Central Brazil and the Rio Branco savannas of northern Brazil. Seeds collected in savannas of Rio Branco showed a higher tolerance to environmental filters than those collected in savannas of the Cerrado. While the germination percentages largely varied in response to the treatments, the germination times were virtually unaffected by them, irrespective of seed origin, seed mass and water content. At the population level, the regional environment was a key determinant of seed tolerance to stress, irrespective of seed traits. Germination time was shown to represent a conservative seed trait and more linked to a species-specific germination strategy than to regional characteristics. Our results suggest that recruitment patterns of Cerrado savannas may be more impacted than Rio Branco savannas by the climate scenarios predicted for the future.
Comparative evaluation of glidescope videolaryngosocope and conventional macintosh laryngoscope for nasotracheal intubation in patients undergoing oropharyngeal cancer surgeries: A prospective randomized study

Background and Aims: Nasotracheal intubation in oropharyngeal cancer patients is challenging owing to anatomical alterations. Various videolaryngoscopes have been compared to conventional laryngoscope and also amongst each other in different clinical scenarios; the supremacy of videolaryngoscopes over conventional laryngoscope in oropharyngeal cancer patients is yet to be established. We compared the efficacy of glidescope videolaryngoscopes and Macintosh laryngoscope for nasotracheal intubation in patients posted for routine oropharyngeal cancer. Material and Methods: 120 ASA I and II oropharyngeal cancer patients scheduled for elective surgery were randomized to undergo nasotracheal intubation after induction of general anesthesia with glide scope video laryngoscope (Group GVL, N = 60) or Macintosh laryngoscope (Group L, N = 60) as per group allocation. Time to glottic view, total intubation time (primary objective), hemodynamic fluctuations, and additional manoeuvres to aid intubation were recorded. Results: Time to visualize the glottic opening (9.20 ± 4.6 sec vs 14.8 ± 6.3 sec) (P = 0.000) and the total intubation time was significantly less in group GVL (35.6 ± 9.57 sec vs 42.2 ± 11 sec) (P = 0.001). Glidescope videolaryngosocpe provided better glottic views and resulted in significantly fewer manoeuvres to facilitate NTI (P = 0.009). The median numeric rating scale (NRS), hemodynamic parameters and complications were similar in both the groups. Conclusion: Glidescope videolaryngosocpe is better than conventional Macintosh laryngoscope for intubation times and need of manoeuvres to facilitate intubation and should be a preferred device for NTI in patients with oropharyngeal cancer.