Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Anaplastic large cell lymphoma in human immunodeficiency virus‐infected people and solid organ transplant recipients

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)‐infected people and solid organ transplant recipients have elevated risk of anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL). Little is known regarding ALCL risk factors in immunosuppressed populations. We used data from US cancer registries linked to HIV registries (1996–2016) and to the national transplant registry (1992–2017). ALCL risk in HIV‐infected people and transplant recipients relative to the general population was calculated as a standardized incidence ratio (SIR). ALCL risk factors were evaluated using Poisson regression. We identified 121 incident ALCL cases in the HIV (n = 86) and transplant (n = 35) populations. We reviewed pathology reports for 45 cases and most (86·7%) were confirmed as ALCL. Epstein–Barr virus tested positive in 1/8 (12·5%) cases. Compared to the general population, ALCL risk was strongly elevated among HIV‐infected people [SIR 5·43; 95% confidence interval (CI) 4·27–6·81] and transplant recipients (5·96; 4·03–8·49). Among HIV‐infected people, ALCL incidence was strongly related to CD4 count [adjusted incidence rate ratio (aIRR) 0·15 for ≥500 vs. <200 cells/μl; P trend < 0·001]. Among transplant recipients, risk was highest within the first year (aIRR 6·82) and 10+ years post‐transplant (5·99). In conclusion, ALCL risk is strongly increased in these immunosuppressed populations but may be unrelated to EBV infection based on limited reports.
Low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol : high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio is associated with incident diabetes in Chinese adults: A retrospective cohort study

Dyslipidemia plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of metabolic syndrome and diabetes. Evidence has increasingly shown that the ratio of low‐ to high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL‐C/HDL‐C) is a novel marker for increased risk of insulin resistance and cardiovascular diseases. However, the correlation between the LDL‐C/HDL‐C ratio and diabetes risk is rarely reported. This is the first study to investigate the association between the LDL‐C/HDL‐C ratio and new‐onset diabetes in a large community‐based cohort.
The microvesicle/CD36 complex triggers a prothrombotic phenotype in patients with non‐valvular atrial fibrillation

The mechanisms responsible for platelet activation, the prothrombotic state, in non‐valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) are still obscure. Microvesicles (MVs) can transfer various messages to target cells and may be helpful for exploring the detailed mechanisms. We aimed to investigate the possible mechanisms by which proatherogenic factors of NVAF contribute to platelet activation. Two hundred and ten patients with NVAF were stratified as being at ‘low to moderate risk’ or ‘high risk’ for stroke according to the CHADS2 score. Levels of platelet‐derived MVs (PMVs) and platelet activation were examined. CD36‐positive or CD36‐deficient human platelets were stimulated by MVs isolated from NVAF patients with or without various inhibitors in vitro. Levels of PMVs and platelet activation markers enhanced significantly in high‐risk patients. The MVs isolated from plasma of NVAF patients bound to platelet CD36 and activated platelets by phosphorylating the mitogen‐activated protein kinase 4/Jun N‐terminal kinase 2 (MKK4/JNK2) pathways. However, CD36 deficiency protected against MV‐induced activation of platelets. We reveal a possible mechanism of platelet activation in NVAF and suggest that the platelet CD36 might be an effective target in preventing the prothrombotic state in NVAF.
Automated Single-Strand Conformation Polymorphism Reveals Low Diversity of a Major Histocompatibility Complex Class II Gene in the Threatened New Zealand Sea Lion

Single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis of the second exon of the DQB gene in the endemic New Zealand sea lion (Phocarctos hookeri) was automated using fluorescently-labelled PCR primers and a capillary sequencer. SSCP mobility profiles (n = 61 individuals) were confirmed by direct sequencing of genomic polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products (n = 39). We found only two alleles defined by changes at a single codon of this apparently functional locus. SSCP at a constant temperature above ambient allowed consistent and rapid genotyping. By comparison, sequence-based genotyping was highly dependent on the threshold used to identify secondary peaks indicative of a heterozygote.
Effects of physical therapy interventions on balance ability in people with traumatic brain injury: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND Balance deficits are common impairments in the individual's post-traumatic brain injury (TBI). Balance deficits can restrict the activities of daily living and productive participation in social life. To date, there were no systematic reviews examined the impact of physical therapy intervention on balance post-TBI. OBJECTIVE To examine the effects of physical therapy interventions on balance impairments in individuals with TBI. METHODS We systematically searched in PUBMED, EMBASE, SCOPUS, PEDro, MEDLINE, REHABDATA, and web of science for randomized controlled trials (RCTs), clinical control trials, and pilot studies that examined the effects of physical therapy interventions on balance deficits in individuals post-TBI. The methodological quality was estimated using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) scale. RESULTS Eight studies published from 2003 to 2019 were included in this study. A total of 259 TBI participants post-TBI were included in this review, 71 (27.41%) of which were females. The methodological quality for selected studies ranged from low to high. There were no significant differences between experimental interventions; virtual reality (VR), vestibular rehabilitation therapy (VRT), and control group interventions; other traditional physical therapy interventions. CONCLUSIONS The evidence about the effects of the physical therapy interventions in improving the balance ability post-TBI was limited. Further randomized controlled trials strongly warranted to understand the role of physical therapy in patients with TBI who complain from balance deficits.
Zonisamide promotes survival of human‐induced pluripotent stem cell‐derived dopaminergic neurons in the striatum of female rats

The transplantation of dopaminergic (DA) progenitors derived from pluripotent stem cells improves the behavior of Parkinson's disease model animals. However, the survival of DA progenitors is low, and the final yield of DA neurons is only approximately 0.3%–2% the number of transplanted cells. Zonisamide (ZNS) increases the number of survived DA neurons upon the transplantation of mouse‐induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell‐derived DA progenitors in the rat striatum. In this study, we induced DA progenitors from human iPS cells and transplanted them into the striatum of female rats with daily administration of ZNS. The number of survived DA neurons was evaluated 1 and 4 months after transplantation by immunohistochemistry, which revealed that the number of survived DA neurons was significantly increased with the administration of ZNS. To assess the mechanism of action of ZNS, we performed a gene expression analysis to compare the gene expression profiles in striatum treated with or without ZNS. The analysis revealed that the expression of SLIT‐and NTRK‐like protein 6 (SLITRK6) was upregulated in rat striatum treated with ZNS. In conclusion, ZNS promotes the survival of DA neurons after the transplantation of human‐iPS cell‐derived DA progenitors in the rat striatum. SLITRK6 is suggested to be involved in this supportive effect of ZNS by modulating the environment of the host brain.
Ppd-B1 and Ppd-D1 and their effects in southern Australian wheat

Abstract. Photoperiod and vernalisation genes are important for the adaptation of wheat to variable environments. Previously, using diagnostic markers and a large, unbalanced dataset from southern Australia, we estimated the effects on days to heading of frequent alleles of Vrn-A1, Vrn-B1, and Vrn-D1, and also two allelic classes of Ppd-D1. These genes accounted for ∼45% of the genotypic variance for that trait. We now extend these analyses to further alleles of Ppd-D1, and four alleles of Ppd-B1 associated with copy number. Variation in copy number of Ppd-B1 occurred in our population, with one to four linked copies present. Additionally, in rare instances, the Ppd-B1 gene was absent (a null allele). The one-copy allele, which we labelled Ppd-B1b, and the three-copy allele, which we labelled Ppd-B1a, occurred through a century of wheat breeding, and are still frequent. With several distinct progenitors, the one-copy allele might not be homogenous. The two-copy allele, which we labelled Ppd-B1d, was generally introduced from WW15 (syn. Anza), and the four-copy allele, which we labelled Ppd-B1c, came from Chinese Spring. In paired comparisons, Ppd-B1a and Ppd-B1c reduced days to heading, but Ppd-B1d increased days to heading. Ppd-D1a, with a promoter deletion, Ppd-D1d, with a deletion in Exon 7, and Ppd-D1b, the intact allele, were frequent in modern Australian germplasm. Differences between Ppd-D1a and Ppd-D1d for days to heading under our field conditions depended on alleles of the vernalisation genes, confirming our previous report of large epistatic interactions between these classes of genes. The Ppd-D1b allele conferred a photoperiod response that might be useful for developing cultivars with closer to optimal heading dates from variable sowing dates. Inclusion of Ppd-B1 genotypes, and more precise resolution of Ppd-D1, increased the proportion of the genotypic variance attributed to these vernalisation and photoperiod genes to ∼53%.
Conservation of function between mammalian and plant steroid 5α-reductases

Arabidopsis det2 mutants are small dark-green dwarfs displaying pleiotropic defects in light-regulated development during multiple stages of the plant life cycle. The DET2 gene encodes a protein that shares ≈40% sequence identity with mammalian steroid 5α-reductases and is implicated in the synthesis of a class of plant steroids, the brassinosteroids. Here we show that the DET2 protein, when expressed in human embryonic kidney 293 cells, catalyzes the 5α-reduction of several animal steroid substrates and has similar kinetic properties to the mammalian steroid 5α-reductase enzymes. Moreover, human steroid 5α-reductases expressed in det2 mutant plants can substitute for DET2 in brassinosteroid biosynthesis. These data indicate that DET2 is an ortholog of the mammalian steroid 5α-reductases and provide further evidence that brassinosteroids play an essential role in light-regulated plant development. The structural and functional conservation between DET2 and human steroid 5α-reductases raise interesting issues concerning the evolutionary origin of the steroid hormone signaling system.
A pilot study evaluating the effects of concussion on the ability to form cognitive maps for spatial orientation in adolescent hockey players

ABSTRACT Objective In this pilot study, we investigated the impact of a sport-related concussion (SRC) on the ability to form cognitive maps, mental representations of the environment that are critical for spatial orientation and navigation. Participants We recruited 18 adolescent hockey players suffering from a SRC, and 19 age, sex and handedness-matched hockey players with no history of concussion. Main measure We asked participants to perform the Spatial Configuration Task (SCT), a computerized tool used to quantitatively measure the ability of the individuals to form cognitive maps. Results We found that athletes with a concussion performed significantly worse than controls on the SCT (F(1,34) = 5.82, p =. 021, = −0.72), confirming a negative effect of a SRC on the ability to form cognitive maps. We found no significant difference between groups in average response time, and no significant correlation between participants' performance at the SCT and reported symptoms of concussion as rated on the Sport Concussion Assessment Tool (SCAT5). Conclusions Consistent with the integrity of extended neural networks required for effective spatial orientation and navigation, the findings of our pilot study provide preliminary evidence suggesting that a SRC may affect the ability to familiarize with a spatial surrounding and orient within it.
Arborescent lycopsid periderm production was limited.

Late Paleozoic arborescent lycopsids have been thought to have grown from sporelings into large trees through the production of a periderm cylinder, particularly massive in the proximal portion of the trunk and tapering distally, with this rind of bark providing most of their structural support. Here, we argue that physiological limitations would have prohibited the production of thick periderm and test this hypothesis using multiple independent lines of evidence derived from anatomical permineralization and surface impression fossils that allow both direct and indirect measurement of periderm radial thickness. Across all six genera of Pennsylvanian arborescent lycopsids that were investigated, all evidence indicates limited periderm production: typically less than 5 cm, always less than 15 cm, even in trunks that would have reached a meter or more in diameter. The large amount of arborescent lycopsid periderm in Middle Pennsylvanian coals represents taphonomic enrichment rather than a true anatomical signal, complicating interpretation of their biology including biomechanics and early ontogeny.
Current perspectives on sex differences in tension-type headache

ABSTRACT Introduction Clinical and experimental evidence supports the presence of several gender differences in the pain experience. Areas covered The current paper discusses biological, psychological, emotional, and social differences according to gender and their relevance to TTH. Gender differences have also been observed in men and women with tension-type headache and they should be considered by clinicians managing this condition. It appears that multimodal treatment approaches lead to better outcomes in people with tension-type headache; however, management of tension-type headache should consider these potential gender differences. Different studies have observed the presence of complex interactions between tension-type headache, emotional stress, sleep, and burden and that these interactions are different between men and women. Expert opinion Based on current results, the authors hypothesize that treatment of men with tension-type headache should focus on the improvement of sleep quality and the level of depression whereas treatment of women with TTH should focus on nociceptive mechanisms and emotional/stressful factors. Future trials should investigate the proposed hypotheses.
Synergy between intraperitoneal aerosolization (PIPAC) and cancer nanomedicine: cisplatin-loaded polyarginine-hyaluronic acid nanocarriers efficiently eradicate peritoneal metastasis of advanced human ovarian cancer.

Intra-abdominal dissemination of peritoneal nodules, a condition known as peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC), is typically diagnosed in ovarian cancer patients at the advanced stages. Current treatment of PC consists of perioperative systemic chemotherapy and cytoreductive surgery, followed by intra-abdominal flushing with solutions of chemotherapeutics such as cisplatin and oxaliplatin. In this study, we developed cisplatin-loaded polyarginine-hyaluronic acid nanoscale particles (Cis-pARG-HA NPs) with high colloidal stability, marked drug loading efficiency, unimpaired biological activity and tumor targeting ability. Injected Cis-pARG-HA NPs showed enhanced antitumor activity in a rat model of PC, when compared to injection of the free cisplatin drug. The activity of Cis-pARG-HA NPs could even be further improved when administered by an intra-abdominal aerosol therapy, referred to as pressurized intraperitoneal aerosol chemotherapy (PIPAC). PIPAC is hypothesized to ensure a more homogeneous drug distribution together with a deeper drug penetration into peritoneal tumor nodules within the abdominal cavity. Using fluorescent pARG-HA NPs, this enhanced nanoparticle deposit on tumors could indeed be observed in regions opposite the aerosolization nozzle. Therefore, this study demonstrates that nanoparticles carrying chemotherapeutics can be synergistically combined with the PIPAC technique for IP therapy of disseminated advanced ovarian tumors, while this synergistic effect was not observed for the administration of free cisplatin.
Magnetic resonance imaging semantic and quantitative features analyses: an additional diagnostic tool for breast phyllodes tumors.

OBJECTIVE This study aimed to differentiate benign and non-benign (borderline/malignant) phyllodes tumors of the breast by the semantic and quantitative features in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). METHODS The female patients, diagnosed with phyllodes tumors by MRI and pathological test, were retrospectively selected from December, 2006 to April, 2019. The MRI of benign, borderline and malignant phyllodes tumors was analyzed using 8 semantic features and 20 computed quantitative features from diffuse contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI). The semantic features were analyzed by univariate analysis. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) method was used to identify the optimal subset of MRI quantitative features. According to the results from multivariate logistic regression for the semantic and quantitative features, the model was constructed to differentiate benign and non-benign (borderline/malignant) phyllodes tumors. RESULTS Thirty-two benign (58.18%), 13 borderline (23.64%) and 10 malignant (18.18%) phyllodes tumors were identified in 54 patients. Five semantic features were proved to be significantly correlated with pathologic grade, including size, the T1 weighted image signal intensity, fat-saturated T2-weighted image signal intensity, enhanced signal intensity, and kinetic curve pattern. With the analysis of LASSO method, three quantitative texture features with significant predictive ability were selected. The model combining both the semantic and quantitative features was proved to have good performance in differentiation on phyllodes tumors, yielding an area under receiver operating characteristic curve, accuracy, sensitivity and specificity of 0.893, 0.933, 1.000, and 0.818, respectively. CONCLUSION The constructed model based on the semantic and quantitative features of DCE-MRI can significantly improve the differential diagnosis of phyllodes tumors in breast.
Are diatoms a food source for Antarctic sponges?

Living diatoms are commonly found within Antarctic Porifera, and generally interpreted as additional food source, or as mutualists or parasites of sponge tissues. However, no data are available about temporal variations of the abundance of diatoms inside sponges especially during the winter period. In this paper we analysed the amount of diatom frustules and chlorophaeopigment concentration in six species of Antarctic sponges (Dendrilla antarctica, Homaxinella flagelliformis, Kirkpatrickia variolosa, Suberites montiniger, Haliclona dancoi, Haliclona penicillata) sampled weekly from November 2001 – before the ice melting – to February 2002. Frustule concentration in the sponge tissues was very low at the beginning of November in all the sponge species, and increased between 9 and 22 January, to reach maximum values between 29 January and 7 February. Diatom abundances were significantly higher in H. dancoi tissues, comparing to the other sponge species, reaching values up to 1217 ± 178 cells *106 g−1 dw at the end of January. Chlorophaeopigments, very low at the beginning of November, increased between 5 and 19 December, before the peak of diatoms. Maximum chlphaeo values (650.5 ± 5.9 µg g−1 dw) were observed in D. antarctica. The planktonic Fragilariopsis curta was the most common diatom species recorded inside sponges. These data clearly indicate that diatom concentration inside the sponge tissues is related to the summer phytoplankton bloom. The shift between the pigment and frustule peaks strongly suggests that diatoms are used as a food source by sponges and that their frustules are accumulated inside the sponge body. The lack of frustules at the beginning of summer indicates that diatom frustules are expelled or dissolved during the cold season.
Effects of Sand Characteristics and Inundation on the Hatching Success of Loggerhead Sea Turtle (Caretta caretta) Clutches on Low-Relief Mangrove Islands in Southwest Florida

ABSTRACT We determined characteristics of the sand, level and frequency of tidal inundation, and hatching success at loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) nest sites on 8 low-relief mangrove islands in the northern half of the Ten Thousand Islands in southwest Florida. The sand was generally composed of larger particles and tended to be wetter, more porous, and more saline than on other loggerhead nesting beaches. More than one-third (38.9%) of the nest sites experienced tidal inundation. The mean salinity of inundating water was 26.9‰ (± 9.3, range = 0–40). The water content and salinity of the sand water at nest sites increased with increasing frequency of inundations. The mean particle diameter and total porosity of the sand were negatively related to sand water salinity, perhaps indicating that in the largest-grained, most porous sands, salt was more effectively washed out by rainfall. Hatching success decreased as inundations, sand water content, and sand water salinity increased. However, at nest sites that did not experience inundation, the sand water content and sand water salinity were not related to hatching success. Loggerhead clutches can tolerate a wide range of incubation environments, including a certain amount of inundation. Clutches that are deposited in low-beach areas (close to the water and more prone to inundation) can produce hatchlings. Because the characteristics of loggerhead hatchlings are influenced by the incubation environment, conservation strategies that involve moving all clutches from low-beach areas to high-beach areas may reduce the variety of incubation environments, thus reducing hatchling variability and possibly preventing the expression of characteristics that promote hatchling survival or otherwise increase the reproductive success of females.
Cryoballoon or radiofrequency ablation? Alternating technique for repeat procedures in patients with atrial fibrillation

Which technique is better for repeat ablation in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) remains unclear. The aim of the study was to compare long‐term efficacy of repeat ablation using the alternative technique for the first redo ablation procedure: (a) cryoballoon (CB) re‐ablation after a failed index pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) with radiofrequency (RF) ablation, RF‐then‐CB group or (b) RF repeat ablation following a failed CB ablation, CB‐then‐RF group.