Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
18F-FDOPA PET/CT SUV-Derived Indices and Volumetric Parameters Correlation in Patients with Primary Brain Tumors

Simple Summary This paper aims to improve the knowledge regarding 18F-FDOPA PET/CT parameters that may influence both the interpretation of PET data and the management of primary brain tumors. The evaluation of volumetric parameters in 18F-FDOPA imaging is uncommon, and we aim to increase the scientific interest on the potential role of volumetric parameters in the clinical practice. The standardized uptake value (SUV)-derived indices as SUV max, SUV mean, SUV max ratio, and SUV mean ratio are widely used but the exact methodology to elaborate SUV ratio is not well established. Therefore, this study aims to assess the correlation between SUV-derived indices and volumetric uptake parameters. Abstract Novel parameters in PET imaging, such as volumetric parameters, are gaining interest in the scientific literature, but the role of dopaminergic tumor volume (DTV) and total lesion F-DOPA activity (TLDA) and the correlation between volumetric and SUV-derived parameters are not well defined yet. One hundred and thirty-three patients that underwent 18F-FDOPA imaging for primary brain tumors were included in this retrospective study. SUV-derived indices were calculated (the occipital region was chosen to generate ratios of tumor SUV) and compared with volumetric parameters. Regression models were applied in univariate analysis and lnSUVmax was positively associated with lnDTV (beta 0.42, p = 0.007), the lnSUVmax ratio was positively associated with lnDTV (beta 0.80, p = 0.011), lnSUVmax was positively associated with lnTLDA (beta 1.27, p < 0.0001), and the lnSUVmax ratio was positively associated with lnTLDA (beta 1.87, p < 0.0001). Our study demonstrates that volumetric uptake parameters in 18F-FDOPA PET/CT are easier to assess in primary brain tumors with higher SUV max and SUV max ratios, and supports the emerging role of volumetric parameters in the data interpretation.
Body Composition According to Spinal Cord Injury Level: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

The level of injury is linked with biochemical alterations and limitations in physical activity among individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI), which are crucial determinants of body composition. We searched five electronic databases from inception until 22 July 2021. The pooled effect estimates were computed using random-effects models, and heterogeneity was calculated using I2 statistics and the chi-squared test. Study quality was assessed using the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale. We pooled 40 studies comprising 4872 individuals with SCI (3991 males, 825 females, and 56 sex-unknown) in addition to chronic SCI (median injury duration 12.3 y, IQR 8.03–14.8). Individuals with tetraplegia had a higher fat percentage (weighted mean difference (WMD) 1.9%, 95% CI 0.6, 3.1) and lower lean mass (WMD −3.0 kg, 95% CI −5.9, −0.2) compared to those with paraplegia. Those with tetraplegia also had higher indicators of central adiposity (WMD, visceral adipose tissue area 0.24 dm2 95% CI 0.05, 0.43 and volume 1.05 L 95% CI 0.14, 1.95), whereas body mass index was lower in individuals with tetraplegia than paraplegia (WMD −0.9 kg/mg2, 95% CI −1.4, −0.5). Sex, age, and injury characteristics were observed to be sources of heterogeneity. Thus, individuals with tetraplegia have higher fat composition compared to paraplegia. Anthropometric measures, such as body mass index, may be inaccurate in describing adiposity in SCI individuals.
Transcription Factor WRKY33 Mediates the Phosphate Deficiency-Induced Remodeling of Root Architecture by Modulating Iron Homeostasis in Arabidopsis Roots

The remodeling of root architecture is regarded as a major development to improve the plant’s adaptivity to phosphate (Pi)-deficient conditions. The WRKY transcription factors family has been reported to regulate the Pi-deficiency-induced systemic responses by affecting Pi absorption or transportation. Whether these transcription factors act as a regulator to mediate the Pi-deficiency-induced remodeling of root architecture, a typical local response, is still unclear. Here, we identified an Arabidopsis transcription factor, WRKY33, that acted as a negative regulator to mediate the Pi-deficiency-induced remodeling of root architecture. The disruption of WRKY33 in wrky33-2 mutant increased the plant’s low Pi sensitivity by further inhibiting the primary root growth and promoting the formation of root hair. Furthermore, we revealed that WRKY33 negatively regulated the remodeling of root architecture by controlling the transcriptional expression of ALMT1 under Pi-deficient conditions, which further mediated the Fe3+ accumulation in root tips to inhibit the root growth. In conclusion, this study demonstrates a previously unrecognized signaling crosstalk between WRKY33 and the ALMT1-mediated malate transport system to regulate the Pi deficiency responses.
Chemical Physical Characterization and Profile of Fruit Volatile Compounds from Different Accesses of Myrciaria floribunda (H. West Ex Wild.) O. Berg through Polyacrylate Fiber

Among the many species of native fruit of Brazil that have been little explored, there is Myrciaria floribunda (also known as rumberry, cambuizeiro, or guavaberry), a species with significant variability, which has fruits of different colors (orange, red, and purple) when ripe. The physical-chemical characteristics evaluated were fruit weight (FW), seed weight (SW), pulp weight (PW), number of seeds (NS), longitudinal diameter (LD), transverse diameter (TD), format (LD/TD), hydrogen potential (pH), soluble solids (SS), titratable acidity (TA), and ratio (SS/TA); further, the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) of nine accesses of rumberry orchards were identified. The averages of the variables FW, SW, PW, NS, LD, TD, shape, and firmness were 0.76 g, 0.22 g, 0.54 g, 1.45, 10.06 mm, 9.90 mm, 1.02, 2.96 N, respectively. LD/TD data showed that the fruits have a slightly rounded shape (LD/TD = 1). The averages for pH, SS, TA, and SS/TA were 3.74, 17.58 Brix, 4.31% citric acid, and 4.31, respectively. The evaluated parameters indicated that the fruits can be consumed both in natura and industrialized, with the red-colored fruits presenting a good balance of SS/TA, standards demanded by the processing industries. Thirty-six VOCs were identified, with emphasis on the sesquiterpenes. Caryophyllene (21.6% to 49.3%) and γ-selinene (11.3% to 16.3%) were the most predominant compounds in rumberry fruits.
Numerical Study on Surface Roughness Measurement Based on Nonlinear Ultrasonics in Through-Transmission and Pulse-Echo Modes

Ultrasonic is one of the well-known methods for surface roughness measurement, but small roughness will only lead to a subtle variation of transmission or reflection. To explore sensitive techniques for surfaces with small roughness, nonlinear ultrasonic measurement in through-transmission and pulse-echo modes was proposed and studied based on an effective unit-cell finite element (FE) model. Higher harmonic generation in solids was realized by applying the Murnaghan hyperelastic material model. This FE model was verified by comparing the absolute value of the nonlinearity parameter with the analytical solution. Then, random surfaces with different roughness values ranging from 0 μm to 200 μm were repeatedly generated and studied in the two modes. The through-transmission mode is very suitable to measure the surfaces with roughness as small as 3% of the wavelength. The pulse-echo mode is sensitive and effective to measure the surface roughness ranging from 0.78% to 5.47% of the wavelength. This study offers a potential nondestructive testing and monitoring method for the interfaces or inner surfaces of the in-service structures.
Barriers and Facilitators to the Uptake of Online and Telephone Services Targeting Health Risk Behaviours among Vocational Education Students: A Qualitative Study

Uptake of online and telephone services targeting health behaviours is low among vocational education students and barriers and facilitators are unknown. This study aimed to explore barriers and facilitators to uptake of online and telephone services for smoking, nutrition, alcohol, and physical activity (SNAP) risk behaviours via semi-structured individual telephone interviews with fifteen vocational education students. Two authors independently completed thematic analysis, classified themes according to the COM-B (Capability, Opportunity, Motivation, Behaviour) framework, and discussed disagreements until consensus was reached. Facilitators to uptake of online (e.g., desire to learn something new, cost-free, accessible) and telephone services (e.g., prefer to talk to provider, complements online support) primarily related to capability and opportunity. For telephone services, difficulty understanding accent/language was a capability-related barrier. Opportunity-related barriers for online and telephone services were preference for face-to-face interaction and lack of time, while preference for apps/online programs was a barrier for telephone services. For online and telephone services, not wanting to change SNAP behaviours was a motivation-related barrier and being able to change SNAP risk behaviours themselves was a motivation-related barrier for online services. Barriers and facilitators to online and telephone services are relevant for designing interventions vocational education students are more likely to use.
Impact of the Result of Soccer Matches on the Heart Rate Variability of Women Soccer Players

The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of a match lost and a match won on post-competitive heart rate variability (HRV) in semi-professional female soccer athletes. A total of 13 players, with a mean age of 23.75 (5.32), from the Cáceres Women Football Club of the Spanish Second National Division participated in our study. They were evaluated in two microcycles which correspond to a match lost and a match won. For each microcycle, baseline and post-competitive measures were collected. Results indicate that HRV was significantly reduced before a match lost and won. Significant differences in HRV variables were observed when compared the lost match, and the match won. Results highlight the importance and usefulness of analyzing the HRV as an indicator of post-competitive fatigue in semiprofessional soccer players. Therefore, a competition’s results could be considered a relevant variable to consider when programming training load.
Novel Glycerophospholipid, Lipo- and N-acyl Amino Acids from Bacteroidetes: Isolation, Structure Elucidation and Bioactivity

The ‘core’ metabolome of the Bacteroidetes genus Chitinophaga was recently discovered to consist of only seven metabolites. A structural relationship in terms of shared lipid moieties among four of them was postulated. Here, structure elucidation and characterization via ultra-high resolution mass spectrometry (UHR-MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy of those four lipids (two lipoamino acids (LAAs), two lysophosphatidylethanolamines (LPEs)), as well as several other undescribed LAAs and N-acyl amino acids (NAAAs), identified during isolation were carried out. The LAAs represent closely related analogs of the literature-known LAAs, such as the glycine-serine dipeptide lipids 430 (2) and 654. Most of the here characterized LAAs (1, 5–11) are members of a so far undescribed glycine-serine-ornithine tripeptide lipid family. Moreover, this study reports three novel NAAAs (N-(5-methyl)hexanoyl tyrosine (14) and N-(7-methyl)octanoyl tyrosine (15) or phenylalanine (16)) from Olivibacter sp. FHG000416, another Bacteroidetes strain initially selected as best in-house producer for isolation of lipid 430. Antimicrobial profiling revealed most isolated LAAs (1–3) and the two LPE ‘core’ metabolites (12, 13) active against the Gram-negative pathogen M. catarrhalis ATCC 25238 and the Gram-positive bacterium M. luteus DSM 20030. For LAA 1, additional growth inhibition activity against B. subtilis DSM 10 was observed.
Classification and Properties of Dental Zirconia as Implant Fixtures and Superstructures

Various types of zirconia are widely used for the fabrication of dental implant superstructures and fixtures. Zirconia–alumina composites, such as ATZ and NanoZR, are adequate for implant fixtures because they have excellent mechanical strength in spite of insufficient esthetic properties. On the other hand, yttria-stabilized zirconia has been used for implant superstructures because of sufficient esthetic properties. They are classified to 12 types with yttria content, monochromatic/polychromatic, uniform/hybrid composition, and monolayer/multilayer. Zirconia with a higher yttria content has higher translucency and lower mechanical strength. Fracture strength of superstructures strongly depends on the strength on the occlusal contact region. It suggests that adequate zirconia should be selected as the superstructure crown, depending on whether strength or esthetics is prioritized. Low temperature degradation of zirconia decreases with yttria content, but even 3Y zirconia has a sufficient durability in oral condition. Although zirconia is the hardest dental materials, zirconia restorative rarely subjects the antagonist teeth to occlusal wear when it is mirror polished. Furthermore, zirconia has less bacterial adhesion and better soft tissue adhesion when it is mirror polished. This indicates that zirconia has advantageous for implant superstructures. As implant fixtures, zirconia is required for surface modification to obtain osseointegration to bone. Various surface treatments, such as roughening, surface activation, and coating, has been developed and improved. It is concluded that an adequately selected zirconia is a suitable material as implant superstructures and fixtures because of mechanically, esthetically, and biologically excellent properties.
Aerosol is the optimal route of respiratory tract infection to induce pathological lesions of colibacillosis by a lux-tagged avian pathogenic Escherichia coli in chickens

ABSTRACT Pathogenesis of colibacillosis caused by avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) in poultry is unclear and experimental studies reveal substantial inconsistency. In this study, the impact of three infection routes differing in the site of deposition of inoculum in the respiratory tract, were investigated. Two-weeks-old chickens were infected with a lux-tagged APEC strain via aerosol, intranasally or intratracheally, and sequentially sampled along with uninfected birds. At 1 and 3 days post infection (dpi), liver or spleen to body-weight ratios in all infected groups were significantly higher than in negative control, while at 7 dpi, such differences were significant in both organs in the aerosol-infected group. The infection-strain colonized tracheas and lungs in infected birds at 1 dpi and persisted until 7 dpi. Among infected groups, in lungs, bacterial load at 1 dpi was significantly lower in intranasally-inoculated birds. Histology revealed that, independent of infection route, lesions were mostly seen in the lower respiratory organs (lungs and air sacs) characterized by bronchitis/pneumonia and airsacculitis. Birds infected via aerosol showed the highest mean lesion score in lungs while intranasal application caused the mildest pathological changes, and difference between the two groups was significant at 1 dpi. In spleen, heterophilic infiltrations were prominent in affected birds. Interestingly, tracheas were pathologically unaffected. Altogether, the results demonstrated the importance of infection route, with aerosol being the most suitable to induce pathological lesions of colibacillosis without predisposing factors. Furthermore, the lux-tagged APEC strain was discriminated from native isolates enabling exact differentiation and enumeration. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS Lux-tagged APEC strain was used for infection to differentiate from native E. coli. Pathologically, lungs, air sacs and spleen but not trachea were affected. The route of infection strongly impacts the pathological outcome with APEC. The infection with APEC via aerosol caused the most severe lesions in chickens.
Nano-Second Laser Interference Photoembossed Microstructures for Enhanced Cell Alignment

Photoembossing is a powerful photolithographic technique to prepare surface relief structures relying on polymerization-induced diffusion in a solventless development step. Conveniently, surface patterns are formed by two or more interfering laser beams without the need for a lithographic mask. The use of nanosecond pulsed light-based interference lithography strengthens the pattern resolution through the absence of vibrational line pattern distortions. Typically, a conventional photoembossing protocol consists of an exposure step at room temperature that is followed by a thermal development step at high temperature. In this work, we explore the possibility to perform the pulsed holographic exposure directly at the development temperature. The surface relief structures generated using this modified photoembossing protocol are compared with those generated using the conventional one. Importantly, the enhancement of surface relief height has been observed by exposing the samples directly at the development temperature, reaching approximately double relief heights when compared to samples obtained using the conventional protocol. Advantageously, the light dose needed to reach the optimum height and the amount of photoinitiator can be substantially reduced in this modified protocol, demonstrating it to be a more efficient process for surface relief generation in photopolymers. Kidney epithelial cell alignment studies on substrates with relief-height optimized structures generated using the two described protocols demonstrate improved cell alignment in samples generated with exposure directly at the development temperature, highlighting the relevance of the height enhancement reached by this method. Although cell alignment is well-known to be enhanced by increasing the relief height of the polymeric grating, our work demonstrates nano-second laser interference photoembossing as a powerful tool to easily prepare polymeric gratings with tunable topography in the range of interest for fundamental cell alignment studies.
Smoothened is a therapeutic target for reducing glutamate toxicity in ischemic stroke

Description Activation of SHH pathway contributes to glutamate toxicity, and inhibition of SMO reduces ischemic brain damage in mice and monkeys. A smooth-ened approach for ischemia One of the consequences of brain ischemia is the release of glutamate from the intracellular milieu onto the extracellular space where it contributes to neuronal damage. To understand the mechanisms mediating glutamate release and uptake in ischemic condition, Wang et al. used in vivo models of brain ischemia in rodents and nonhuman primates. The authors found that the protein Smoothened (SMO) contributes to extracellular glutamate accumulation by decreasing the membrane expression of the glutamate transporter GLT-1. Inhibiting SMO using an FDA-approved drug was therapeutic in rodent and monkey models, suggesting that targeting SMO could be effective for reducing the deleterious consequences of brain ischemia. Extracellular glutamate contributes to brain damage in ischemia. Under physiological conditions, glutamate transporters are responsible for regulating its intracellular/extracellular concentrations in the brain. However, how the extracellular glutamate is regulated in ischemia remains unclear. Here, we showed that the sonic hedgehog (SHH)–Smoothened (SMO)–GLT-1 pathway controlled extracellular glutamate and blocking SMO reduced ischemic brain damage in rodents. SHH was quickly released in a rodent model of ischemia, and activation of its pathway was associated with neuronal damage. Inhibiting SMO, the mediator of SHH signaling, maintained GLT-1 membrane expression, lowered extracellular glutamate, reduced infarct volume, and improved neurological functions in mice. Mechanistically, SHH suppressed GLT-1 membrane expression via PKCα phosphorylation of serine-562 on GLT-1. Last, administration of NVP-LDE225, an FDA-approved SMO antagonist used for cancer treatment in clinic, had protective effects in mice and cynomolgus monkeys subjected to ischemia. Together, these results suggest that SMO could be targeted for treating glutamate toxicity in ischemia.
Synaptic mechanism underlying serotonin modulation of transition to cocaine addiction

Description Prevention of compulsive cocaine taking Over time, about 20% of chronic cocaine users lose control and become addicted. There are indications that the differential efficacy of the brain serotonin (5-HT) system may be involved in the vulnerability to drug addiction. However, the relevant circuits and underlying cellular processes remain elusive. Li et al. discovered a synaptic mechanism in mice that underlies the modulatory role of 5-HT in reducing the likelihood of transition to compulsion and eventually addiction (see the Perspective by Miyazaki and Miyazaki). Cocaine binds to 5-HT transporters to block 5-HT reuptake. The elevated extracellular 5-HT activates 5-HT1B receptors and causes presynaptic depression of a projection from the orbitofrontal cortex to the dorsal striatum. These changes reduce the likelihood of inducing postsynaptic potentiation at these synapses, which ultimately drives compulsion. —PRS Serotonin can prevent the development of compulsive cocaine seeking in mice. Compulsive drug use despite adverse consequences defines addiction. While mesolimbic dopamine signaling is sufficient to drive compulsion, psychostimulants such as cocaine also boost extracellular serotonin (5-HT) by inhibiting reuptake. We used SERT Met172 knockin (SertKI) mice carrying a transporter that no longer binds cocaine to abolish 5-HT transients during drug self-administration. SertKI mice showed an enhanced transition to compulsion. Conversely, pharmacologically elevating 5-HT reversed the inherently high rate of compulsion transition with optogenetic dopamine self-stimulation. The bidirectional effect on behavior is explained by presynaptic depression of orbitofrontal cortex–to–dorsal striatum synapses induced by 5-HT via 5-HT1B receptors. Consequently, in projection-specific 5-HT1B receptor knockout mice, the fraction of individuals compulsively self-administering cocaine was elevated.
Multipath TCP in Smartphones Equipped with Millimeter Wave Radios

The well-known susceptibility of millimeter wave links to human blockage and client mobility has recently motivated researchers to propose approaches that leverage both 802.11ad radios (operating in the 60 GHz band) and legacy 802.11ac radios (operating in the 5 GHz band) in dual-band commercial off-the-shelf devices to simultaneously provide Gbps throughput and reliability. One such approach is via Multipath TCP (MPTCP), a transport layer protocol that is transparent to applications and requires no changes to the underlying wireless drivers. However, MPTCP (as well as other bundling approaches) have only been evaluated to date in 60 GHz WLANs with laptop clients. In this work, we port for first time the MPTCP source code to a dual-band smartphone equipped with an 802.11ad and an 802.11ac radio. We discuss the challenges we face and the system-level optimizations required to enable the phone to support Gbps data rates and yield optimal MPTCP throughput (i.e., the sum of the individual throughputs of the two radios) under ideal conditions. We also evaluate for first time the power consumption of MPTCP in a dual-band 802.11ad/ac smartphone and provide recommendations towards the design of an energy-aware MPTCP scheduler. We make our source code publicly available to enable other researchers to experiment with MPTCP in smartphones equipped with millimeter wave radios.