Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Does miR-197 Represent a Valid Prognostic Biomarker in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC)? A Systematic Review and Trial Sequential Analysis

(1) Background: Between tumors of the head and neck region, the squamous cell variant (HNSCC) is the most common and represents one of the main neoplasms affecting humans. At the base of carcinogenesis processes, there are genetic alterations whose regulation can be influenced by changes in the expression of microRNA (miR). Consequently, despite recent studies indicating miR-197 as a potential prognostic biomarker of survival for many varieties of cancer, there are currently no systematic reviews and trial sequential/bioinformatics/meta-analysis regarding the role of miR-197 in HNSCC. Our hypothesis was that with the existing literature, it is possible to clarify whether the different expressions of miR-197 in neoplastic tissues can represent a prognostic biomarker of survival in head and neck tumors. (2) Methods: The systematic review was reported following the indications of PRISMA and by consulting six electronic databases (including one register). Moreover, this review was carried out using the Kaplan–Meier plotter database portal, and hazard ratio (HR) data were extracted. Finally, a trial sequential analysis (TSA) was conducted to test the robustness of the proposed meta-analysis. (3) Results: This search identified 1119 articles and outcomes of the meta-analysis, reporting an aggregate HR for overall survival (OS) between the highest and lowest miR-197 expression of 1.01, 95% CI: [1.00, 1.02]. (4) Conclusions: We can state that, from the literature data included in the present meta-analysis, and from the TSA and bioinformatics analysis data, miR-197 does not currently represent a valid prognostic biomarker for HNSCC, although the data provided by the Kaplan–Meier plotter suggest that miR-197 can serve as a putative biomarker in short-term (5 years) survival.
Midazolam Prevents the Adverse Outcome of Neonatal Asphyxia

Birth asphyxia (BA) is the most frequent cause of neonatal death as well as central nervous system (CNS) injury. BA is often associated with neonatal seizures, which only poorly respond to anti‐seizure medications and may contribute to the adverse neurodevelopmental outcome. Using a non‐invasive rat model of BA, we have recently reported that the potent benzodiazepine, midazolam, prevents neonatal seizures in ~50% of rat pups. In addition to its anti‐seizure effect, midazolam exerts anti‐inflammatory actions, which is highly relevant for therapeutic intervention following BA. The 2 major aims of the present study were to examine (1) whether midazolam reduces the adverse outcome of BA, and (2) whether this effect is different in rats that did or did not exhibit neonatal seizures after drug treatment.
Effect of Valproic Acid on Pre and Postnatal Development of the Cerebellar Cortex of the Albino Rat and the Possible Protective Role of the Folic Acid

Background : Valproic acid (VPA) is one of antiepileptic drugs that causes neurodevelopmental disorders, including the autism spectrum disorder. Folic acid is essential for DNA synthesis and its periconceptional supplementation protects against several birth defects. Objective: To clarify the folic acid ’ s protective potential against the valproic acid induced neurodevelopmental toxicity on rat cerebellar cortex. Material and Methods : 60 pregnant albino rats were divided into three groups; group I (control, received saline), group II (valproic acid 50 mg/kg once daily) and group III (valproic and folic acid (400 mg/kg) once daily). The offspring rats were sacrificed at day 15 and 17 prenatally, newborn, and at day 15 and 21 postnatally. Samples of cerebellar cortex were prepared for light and electron microscopic examination, immunohistochemical GFAB study as well as for histomorphometric analysis. Results: In group II, the rat offspring’s cerebellar cortex showed marked degenerative changes, mostly in Purkinje cells. The cells appeared shrunken, irregular with vacuolated cytoplasm contained damaged organelles and nuclei. The external granular layer appeared decreased in thickness and contained less cells with deeply stained nuclei. The cerebellar cortex of the group III showed restoration of the normal architecture. GFAB immunoreaction in group III appeared comparable to control against the strong positive reaction (gliosis) in group II. All studied morphometric parameters in group III were close to the control group and markedly reduced in group II. Conclusion : Periconceptional folic acid supplementation reduces VPA neurotoxic effects on rat cerebellar cortex development pre and postnatally.
The Linguistic Landscape and Prospects of a Seaside Destination in the East of Thailand

This study maps the linguistic landscape of the main 3-kilometer road to the Bang Saen Beach in East Thailand using images of roadside signs from Google Street View. In total, 7710 images of textual signs were taken over 7 years: 2012, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021. Most of the signs were monolingual (5119=66.39%), and Thai was dominant in the monolingual signs (3982=77.79%). The Thai-English combination was mostly found in bilingual signs (2476=97.74%). 2941 examples of Thai transliteration from foreign languages were found, and Thai transliteration from English was the highest (2857=97.15%). Findings on the use of different foreign languages indicated the increasing diversity and prospects of the research site. Notably, English was the most used foreign language.
The Recent Progress and the State-of-art Applications of Navier Stokes Equation

Navier Stoke equation plays an important role in physics field to describe the movement of fluid. In description of movement of fluid, turbulent flow is difficult to describe because it cannot be predicted precisely for movement of every particle. In this paper, we present the basic information of Navier Stoke equation, history of developing Navier Stoke equation as well as solving method. In addition, the state-of-art applications in fluid mechanics are also demonstrated. Moreover, the limitation of Navier Stoke equation and its future prospect are proposed accordingly. These results shed light on guiding further exploration focusing on the fluid mechanics.
A Simple and Rapid Low-Cost Procedure for Detection of Vancomycin-Resistance Genes in Enterococci Reveals an Outbreak of Vancomycin-Variable Enterococcus faecium

The detection of resistance to vancomycin in enterococci cultured from patients is important for the treatment of individual patients and for the prevention of hospital transmission. Phenotypic antimicrobial resistance tests may fail to detect potential vancomycin-resistant enterococci. We have developed and tested a PCR based procedure for routine screening for vancomycin-resistance genes in clinical samples with enterococci. Primary cultures from diagnostic samples reported with growth of Enterococcus faecium or E. facalis were tested for vanA and vanB genes by real-time PCR without the isolation of specific bacteria. Up to ten samples were pooled and tested in each real-time PCR reaction, with subsequent individual testing of cultures from positive pools. In a one-month test period in 2017 vanA gene was detected in one out of 340 urine samples with vancomycin-susceptible enterococci reported from diagnostic culture. A second test period in 2018 included 357 urine samples, and vanA gene was detected in samples from eight patients. Subsequently, all urine samples reported with growth of E. faecium during a period of one year were tested. Fifty-eight individuals were identified with enterococci, carrying the vanA gene not previously detected. Routine molecular testing of primary culture material from patient samples may improve the detection of hospitalized patients carrying E. faecium with resistance genes to vancomycin.
Colorectal Cancer in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases: Epidemiology and Prevention: A Review

Simple Summary Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most serious potential complications of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs). The aging of patients affected by IBDs makes this issue a challenge that will increasingly be faced by clinicians in clinical practice, especially in light of the poorer prognosis for CRC in this group of people when compared with the general population. In this review, we summarize the current epidemiology, risk factors and various prevention strategies proposed for CRC in patients with IBDs. Abstract Colorectal cancer (CRC) is currently the third most frequent form of malignancy and the second in terms of mortality. Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) are recognized risk factors for this type of cancer. Despite a worldwide increase in the incidence of CRC, the risk of CRC-related death in IBD patients has declined over time, probably because of successful surveillance strategies, the use of more effective drugs in the management of remission and improved indications to colectomy. This notwithstanding, CRC 5-year survival in patients with IBD is poorer than in the general population. This review provides a summary of the epidemiological features, risk factors and various prevention strategies proposed for CRC in IBD patients. Moreover, there is a special focus on reporting and highlighting the various prevention strategies proposed by the most important international scientific societies, both in terms of chemoprevention and endoscopic surveillance. Indeed, in conducting the analysis, we have given attention to the current primary, secondary and tertiary prevention guidelines, attempting to emphasize unresolved research and clinical problems related to this topic in order to improve diagnostic strategies and management.
Gene Expression Landscape of Chronic Myeloid Leukemia K562 Cells Overexpressing the Tumor Suppressor Gene PTPRG

This study concerns the analysis of the modulation of Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML) cell model K562 transcriptome following transfection with the tumor suppressor gene encoding for Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase Receptor Type G (PTPRG) and treatment with the tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) Imatinib. Specifically, we aimed at identifying genes whose level of expression is altered by PTPRG modulation and Imatinib concentration. Statistical tests as differential expression analysis (DEA) supported by gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) and modern methods of ontological term analysis are presented along with some results of current interest for forthcoming experimental research in the field of the transcriptomic landscape of CML. In particular, we present two methods that differ in the order of the analysis steps. After a gene selection based on fold-change value thresholding, we applied statistical tests to select differentially expressed genes. Therefore, we applied two different methods on the set of differentially expressed genes. With the first method (Method 1), we implemented GSEA, followed by the identification of transcription factors. With the second method (Method 2), we first selected the transcription factors from the set of differentially expressed genes and implemented GSEA on this set. Method 1 is a standard method commonly used in this type of analysis, while Method 2 is unconventional and is motivated by the intention to identify transcription factors more specifically involved in biological processes relevant to the CML condition. Both methods have been equipped in ontological knowledge mining and word cloud analysis, as elements of novelty in our analytical procedure. Data analysis identified RARG and CD36 as a potential PTPRG up-regulated genes, suggesting a possible induction of cell differentiation toward an erithromyeloid phenotype. The prediction was confirmed at the mRNA and protein level, further validating the approach and identifying a new molecular mechanism of tumor suppression governed by PTPRG in a CML context.
Machine Learning for Detection and Prediction of Crop Diseases and Pests: A Comprehensive Survey

Considering the population growth rate of recent years, a doubling of the current worldwide crop productivity is expected to be needed by 2050. Pests and diseases are a major obstacle to achieving this productivity outcome. Therefore, it is very important to develop efficient methods for the automatic detection, identification, and prediction of pests and diseases in agricultural crops. To perform such automation, Machine Learning (ML) techniques can be used to derive knowledge and relationships from the data that is being worked on. This paper presents a literature review on ML techniques used in the agricultural sector, focusing on the tasks of classification, detection, and prediction of diseases and pests, with an emphasis on tomato crops. This survey aims to contribute to the development of smart farming and precision agriculture by promoting the development of techniques that will allow farmers to decrease the use of pesticides and chemicals while preserving and improving their crop quality and production.
Factors Affecting Firm Efficiency Of Manufacturing Companies Listed In Indonesia Stock Exchange

This study aims to analyze the effect of financial ratios on company efficiency. This study was conducted using a data sample of 29 manufacturing companies in the various industrial sub-sectors listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) within a reporting period of 5 years (2016 – 2020). The sampling technique uses purposive sampling and uses panel data regression analysis methods. The independent variables in this study consist of leverage, tangibility, working capital, liquidity, productivity, and profitability, while the dependent variable is firm efficiency. The results show that leverage, tangibility, liquidity, and productivity have a significant negative effect on firm efficiency, while working capital, gross profit, and return on equity have no effect on firm efficiency. This finding is expected to be a reference for manufacturing companies in the various industrial sub-sectors in improving company efficiency.
Development of Novel Recombinant Antigens of Nucleoprotein and Matrix Proteins of Porcine orthorubulavirus: Antigenicity and Structural Prediction

Blue eye disease (BED) is a swine viral infection that affects the pork industry of Mexico. Porcine orthorubulavirus (PRV) is the etiological agent, and the hemagglutinin-neuraminidase protein (HN) is characterized as the best antigen for serological tests, although other structural proteins, including the nucleoprotein (NP) and the matrix (M) protein, have been investigated during the infection of members of the Paramyxoviridae family, generating promising results. Herein, for the first time, we successfully produced and characterized both the NP and M proteins of PRV by using a recombinant strategy in the E. coli heterologous system. The ORF of the NP and M genes were cloned in-frame with the pET-SUMO expression vector. Recombinant proteins proved to be a sensitive target to detect seroconversion at 7 days until 28 days in vaccinated mice (BALB/c) by indirect ELISAs. Immunoreactivity was also tested using porcine serum samples, in which antibodies were recognized from early stages to a persistence of PRV infection, which is indicative that these proteins contain properties similar to native antigens. The predicted tertiary structure showed that both proteins have a conserved structure that resembles those found in others Paramyxovirus. Our results pave the way for developing biotechnological tools based on these proteins for the control and prevention of BED.
Symplectic structures on $3$-Lie algebras

The symplectic structures on $3$-Lie algebras and metric symplectic $3$-Lie algebras are studied. For arbitrary $3$-Lie algebra $L$, infinite many metric symplectic $3$-Lie algebras are constructed. It is proved that a metric $3$-Lie algebra $(A, B)$ is a metric symplectic $3$-Lie algebra if and only if there exists an invertible derivation $D$ such that $D\in Der_B(A)$, and is also proved that every metric symplectic $3$-Lie algebra $(\tilde{A}, \tilde{B}, \tilde{\omega})$ is a $T^*_{\theta}$-extension of a metric symplectic $3$-Lie algebra $(A, B, \omega)$. Finally, we construct a metric symplectic double extension of a metric symplectic $3$-Lie algebra by means of a special derivation.
Stressful Life Events, Depression, and Non-Suicidal Self-Injury Among Chinese Left-Behind Children: Moderating Effects of Self-Esteem

Using cross-sectional data of the children in the Guizhou Province of China, the present study examined the association between stressful life events and self-esteem, depression, and non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI). The participants included 1,210 children recruited from four junior high schools. Self-report questionnaires concerned stressful life events, self-esteem, depression, and NSSI. Results indicated that Chinese left-behind children who faced more stressful life events were more likely to engage in depression and non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI). Moreover, self-esteem moderated the association between stressful life events and depression, and the association between stressful life events and NSSI. For the left-behind children reporting higher levels of self-esteem, the negative effect of stressful life events on depression and NSSI appeared weaker, compared to those who reported lower levels of self-esteem. In addition, the left-behind type also has a moderating effect on the relationship between stressful life events and NSSI. With the increase of stressful life events, the NSSI among the one-migrating-parent group grows more rapidly than that among the two-migrating-parents group. The findings suggest that self-esteem and left-behind type are important individual factors for Chinese left-behind children.
Suppression of Tumor Growth and Cell Migration by Indole-Based Benzenesulfonamides and Their Synergistic Effects in Combination with Doxorubicin

Pharmacological inhibition of the enzyme activity targeting carbonic anhydrases (CAs) demonstrated antiglaucoma and anticancer effects through pH control. Recently, we reported a series of indole-based benzenesulfonamides as potent CA inhibitors. The present study aimed to evaluate the antitumor effects of these compounds against various cancer cell lines, including breast cancer (MDA-MB-231, MCF-7, and SK-BR-3), lung cancer (A549), and pancreatic cancer (Panc1) cells. Overall, more potent cytotoxicity was observed on MCF-7 and SK-BR-3 cells than on lung or pancreatic cancer cells. Among the 15 compounds tested, A6 and A15 exhibited potent cytotoxic and antimigratory activities against MCF-7 and SK-BR-3 cells in the CoCl2-induced hypoxic condition. While A6 and A15 markedly reduced the viability of control siRNA-treated cells, these compounds could not significantly reduce the viability of CA IX-knockdown cells, suggesting the role of CA IX in their anticancer activities. To assess whether these compounds exerted synergism with a conventional anticancer drug doxorubicin (DOX), the cytotoxic effects of A6 or A15 combined with DOX were analyzed using Chou−Talalay and Bliss independence methods. Our data revealed that both A6 and A15 significantly enhanced the anticancer activity of DOX. Among the tested pairs, the combination of DOX with A15 showed the strongest synergism on SK-BR-3 cells. Moreover, this combination further attenuated cell migration compared to the respective drug. Collectively, our results demonstrated that A6 and A15 suppressed tumor growth and cell migration of MCF-7 and SK-BR-3 cells through inhibition of CA IX, and the combination of these compounds with DOX exhibited synergistic cytotoxic effects on these breast cancer cells. Therefore, A6 and A15 may serve as potential anticancer agents alone or in combination with DOX against breast cancer.
Environmental Engel curves: A neural network approach

Environmental Engel curves describe how households' income relates to the pollution associated with the services and goods consumed. This paper estimates these curves with neural networks using the novel dataset constructed in Levinson and O'Brien. We provide further statistical rigor to the empirical analysis by constructing prediction intervals obtained from novel neural network methods such as extra‐neural nets and MC dropout. The application of these techniques for five different pollutants allow us to confirm statistically that Environmental Engel curves are upward sloping, have income elasticities smaller than one and shift down, becoming more concave, over time. Importantly, for the last year of the sample, we find an inverted U shape that suggests the existence of a maximum in pollution for medium‐to‐high levels of household income beyond which pollution flattens or decreases for top income earners.
Sex-Specific Association between Fasting Plasma Glucose and Serum Selenium Levels in Adults from Southern Mexico

Selenium (Se) is an essential trace element that by its antioxidant properties has been studied to elucidate its participation in the development of obesity and type 2 diabetes. We evaluated the association between cardiometabolic traits and serum Se levels in a sample of adults from southern Mexico. In 96 nondiabetic individuals, anthropometric data and clinical biochemistry measurements were analyzed. Serum total Se levels were measured with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Serum Se level in the whole sample was 10.309 ± 3.031 μg mL−1 and no difference between the women and men was observed (p = 0.09). Additionally, fasting plasma glucose (FPG) was significantly associated with serum Se level (β = −0.07 ± 0.03, p = 0.02, analysis adjusted for age, sex and BMI). Furthermore, sex shows significant interaction with FPG on the serum Se levels (p = 0.01). A follow-up analysis revealed the particular association between FPG and Se levels in women (β = −0.10 ± 0.04, p = 0.01). In conclusion, our data evidenced a women-specific association between FPG and serum Se levels in a sample of adults from southern Mexico.
Assessment of Radiation-Induced Bladder and Bowel Cancer Risks after Conventionally and Hypo-Fractionated Radiotherapy for the Preoperative Management of Rectal Carcinoma

Preoperative management of rectal carcinoma can be performed by employing either conventionally or hypo-fractionated Radiotherapy (CFRT or HFRT, respectively), delivered by Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy (IMRT) or Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT) plans, employing 6 MV or 10 MV photon beams. This study aims to dosimetrically and radiobiologically compare all available approaches, with emphasis on the risk of radiation-induced second cancer to the bladder and bowel. Computed Tomography (CT) scans and relevant radiotherapy contours from 16 patients were anonymized and analyzed retrospectively. For each case, CFRT of 25 × 2 Gy and HFRT of 5 × 5 Gy were both considered. IMRT and VMAT plans using 6 MV and 10 MV photons were prepared. Plan optimization was performed, considering all clinically used plan quality indices and dose–volume constraints for the critical organs. Resulting dose distributions were analyzed and compared. Moreover, the Lifetime Attributable Risk (LAR) for developing radiation-induced bladder and bowel malignancies were assessed using a non-linear mechanistic model, assuming patient ages at treatment of 45, 50, 55 and 60 years. All 128 plans created were clinically acceptable. Risk of second bladder cancer reached 0.26% for HFRT (5 × 5 Gy) and 0.19% for CFRT (25 × 2 Gy) at the age of 45. Systematically higher risks were calculated for HFRT (5 × 5 Gy) as compared to CFRT (25 × 2 Gy), with 6 MV photons resulting in slightly increased LAR, as well. Similar or equal bowel cancer risks were calculated for all techniques and patient ages investigated (range 0.05–0.14%). This work contributes towards radiotherapy treatment protocol selection criteria for the preoperative irradiation of rectal carcinoma. However, more studies are needed to establish the associated radiation-induced risk of each RT protocol.