Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The predictive role of Ki-67 protein in determining the aggressiveness of primary malignant bone tumors. A retrospective study

Abstract Introduction: In order to diagnose and stage malignant bone tumors, the pathologic examination of harvested pieces with immunohistochemistry test is necessary; they also provide information regarding the prognosis on a medium to long term. Among tissular biomarkers with potential predictive value, a raised Ki-67 protein level is used to determine the risk of local recurrence or metastasis. Material and method: This study was performed on 50 patients with primary malignant bone tumors admitted in the Traumatology and Orthopedy Department of University Emergency Hospital, Bucharest. Patients repartition according to diagnosis was the following: 21 patients with osteosarcoma, 18 patients with chondrosarcoma, 6 patients with Ewing sarcoma, 3 patients with malignant fibrous histiocytoma, and 2 with fibrosarcoma. The follow-up period was between 12 and 72 months with a mean of 26 months. Results: Patients were aged between 18 and 77 years old, with a mean age of 41,36. There were 22 women and 28 men. No sex or age difference was notable for the tumor outcome. After calculating the Ki-67 LI, 36 patients were included in the high-risk group (Ki-67 LI > 25%), while 14 had a low risk for metastasis and local relapse (Ki-67 < 25%). The low-risk patients had chondrosarcoma (8 patients), osteosarcoma (5 patients), and fibrosarcoma (1 patient). During the follow-up, 8 patients, all belonging to the high risk group, developed metastasis, while 5 patients developed local recurrences; 4 patients who relapsed belonged to the high risk group and 1 to the low risk group. Metastases developed in 3 patients with osteosarcoma, 2 with Ewing sarcoma, 2 with chondrosarcoma and 1 patient with fibrosarcoma. Most metastases occurred within one year after surgery. The other fibrosarcoma patient developed local recurrence after 6 months, while the other local recurrences occurred in osteosarcoma patients (2 cases) and 1 in a Ewing sarcoma patient and chondrosarcoma patient. Conclusions: Our study concluded that while Ki-67 LI values are useful in determining the aggressivity of primary malignant bone tumors, it should always be used in conjunction with the clinical, imaging and anatomopathological diagnosis methods in order to accurately predict the patients’ outcome.
Are coastal deserts necessarily dew deserts? An example from the Tabernas Desert

Abstract Vapor condensation, whether due to dew or fog, may add a stable and important source of water to deserts. This was also extensively assessed in the Negev, regarded as a dew desert. Dew deserts necessitate a large reservoir of vapor, and are therefore confined to near oceans or seas. Yet, examples of such deserts are scarce. Here we try to assess whether the Tabernas Desert in SE Spain can be regarded as a dew desert, and may therefore facilitate the growth of certain organisms that otherwise would not survive the dry season. We analyze some of the abiotic conditions of four relatively dry months (June, July, August, September) in the Tabernas and Negev deserts (with the Negev taken as an example of a dew desert) during 2003–2012. The analysis showed substantially lower values of relative humidity (by 10–13%) in the Tabernas in comparison to the Negev, with RH ≥95% being on average only 0.9–1.1 days a month in the Tabernas in comparison to 9.7–13.9 days in the Negev. Our findings imply that the Tabernas Desert cannot be regarded as a dew desert, suggesting that rain will be the main factor responsible for the food web chain in the Tabernas.
Muscle Thickness During Core Stability Exercises in Children and Adults

Abstract Core stability exercises are regular part of exercise programs for asymptomatic individuals across ages. The purpose of this study was to examine deep abdominal and multifidus muscle thickness in children and adults and to determine reliability of the rehabilitative ultrasound (RUSI) imaging. Transversus abdominis and lumbar multifidus thickness at rest and during core stability exercise were examined in pre-pubertal children (N = 23), adolescents (N = 20), young adults (N = 21) and middle-aged adults (N = 22). Thirty-nine participants were re-tested one week after to establish reliability. Muscle thickness at rest was lower in children and adolescents compared with young and middle-aged adults (p < 0.008). Young adults displayed the highest relative transversus abdominis thickness upon contraction (p < 0.008). Lumbar multfidus contraction thickness was greater in young-adults than middle-aged adults and pre-pubertal children (p < 0.008), but it was similar between young-adults and adolescents (p > 0.008). Reliability was high for both muscles (ICC3,3 = 0.76 - 0.99). The age-related differences in muscle thickness indicate that core stability exercises may be beneficial for children and middle-aged adults.
A Meta-Analysis on the Effect of Complex Training on Vertical Jump Performance

Abstract Complex training (CT) is a strength training intervention performed by completing all the sets of a resistance exercise followed by a series of high-velocity/plyometric exercise/s. The purpose of this novel study was to conduct a meta-analysis on the effect of CT on vertical jump (VJ) performance. Five electronic databases were searched using terms related to CT and the VJ. Studies needed to include randomized trials comparing CT with traditional resistance training (RT)/plyometric training (PLYO)/control (CON) lasting ≥ 4 weeks and the VJ as a dependent variable. Seven studies qualified for the meta-analysis with two studies differentiating VJ performance from CT and RT, two studies comparing VJ performance of CT and PLYO, and two studies establishing the difference in VJ performance between CT and CON. Results indicated similar improvement in VJ performance from CT and RT (p = 0.88). On the other hand, greater VJ performance in CT than PLYO was identified (ES = 0.86; 95% CI 0.24, 1.47; p = 0.01). CT also showed significantly greater enhancement in VJ compared to CON (ES = 1.14; 95% CI 0.60, 1.68; p < 0.01). In conclusion, CT can serve as alternative training from RT in improving VJ performance. On the other hand, CT is a better option in VJ enhancement than PLYO and CON.
Kinetic models of the extraction of vanillic acid from pumpkin seeds

Abstract Vanillic acid is used in the food industry and perfumery, and the optimization of its extraction process from the natural source is important for saving time and money. The presence of vanillic acid in pumpkin seeds was proven using HPLC analysis. Computational optimization of the extraction shows that for the concentration of ethanol 40% and solmodul: V/m=20, the optimum condition for the extraction of vanillic acid from pumpkin seeds was 100 min and 450C. The estimation of fitting for each kinetic model to the experimental kinetic data was performed using the root mean square, standard deviation, and the correlation coefficient. Ponomarev model was shown as the most suitable with the highest accuracy among the six considered kinetic models. The enthalpy and entropy changes were positive, while the Gibbs free energy was negative and decreased when temperature increased during the thermodynamic analysis. Therefore, the extraction of vanillic acid from pumpkin seeds was endothermic, spontaneous, and irreversible.
Classifying non-banking financial institutions based on their financial performance

Abstract In this paper we evaluate comparatively the performance of non-banking financial institutions in Romania by the means of unsupervised neural networks in terms of Kohonen’ Self-Organizing Maps algorithm. We create a benchmarking model in the form of a two-dimensional map (a self-organizing map) that can be used to assess visually the performance of non-banking financial institutions based on different performance dimensions, such as capital adequacy, assets’ quality and profitability. We use the following indicators: Equity ratio (Leverage) for the capital adequacy dimension, Loans granted to clients (net value) / total assets (net value) for the assets’ quality dimension and Return on assets (ROA) for the profitability dimension. We have excluded from our analysis the other three dimensions used in evaluating the performance of banks, due to lack of data (for the two qualitative dimensions: quality of ownership and management) and irrelevance with the NFIs’ sector (liquidity). The proposed model is based on the Self-Organising Map algorithm which creates a two-dimensional map (e.g. 6x4 = 24 neurons) from p-dimensional input data. The data were collected for eleven non-banking financial institutions for four years 2007-2010, in total 44 observations. Using the visualization capabilities of the Self-Organising Map model and the trajectories we show the movements of the three non-banking financial institutions with the worst performance: the largest underperformer denoted with X, the second largest underperformer denoted with Y and the third largest underperformer denoted with Z between 2007 and 2010.
Meta-analysis of the diagnostic performance characteristics of three commercial and one in-house nucleic acid amplification tests for malaria screening

Abstract Background A meta-analysis of previously performed evaluation studies of nucleic acid amplification testing (NAT) approaches for the screening for and differentiation of Plasmodium spp. using identical samples was performed to comparatively assess their suitability for the routine diagnostic setting. Methods Three commercial NATs for malaria (one loop-mediated isothermal amplification [LAMP] assay, two real-time polymerase chain reactions [PCRs]) and one in-house real-time PCR were comparatively assessed with a collection of 1020 well-characterized ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) blood samples from patients with suspected or confirmed malaria. Results Altogether 765 (75%) concordantly negative and 223 (21.9%) concordantly positive results of the four molecular tests were obtained, while discordant results were seen in 32 (3.1%) instances. For genus-specific assays, the observed sensitivity and specificity ranges were 96.4%–98.4% and 99.6%–99.9%, and for species-specific assays, 94.0%–97.6% and 99.6%–100%, respectively. Falsely negative molecular test results comprised microscopically negative samples, samples at the microscopic detection threshold and quantitatively less abundant species in mixed infections. Conclusions Excellent test characteristics of all assessed assays with only minor differences encourage molecular malaria screening with genus- and species-specific NAT with discrepancies only within the borderline range of their detection thresholds.
The effect of trauma and dissociation on the outcome of cognitive behavioural therapy for binge eating disorder: A 6-month prospective study.

BACKGROUND Binge eating disorder (BED) is commonly associated with a history of trauma. Yet, there is little insight into the potential effect that trauma, dissociation, and depressive symptoms may have on the outcome of treatment interventions. METHODS A total of 142 treatment-seeking patients admitted with a diagnosis of DSM-5 BED (88% female; mean age = 38.7; SD = 10.8) took part in a 6-month, protocolized, group cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). Self-report questionnaires were administered to assess lifetime traumatic experiences, dissociation, and depression. Body mass index and the number of binges per week (BPW) were measured throughout treatment. The main outcomes were the percentage reduction in BPW and remission (i.e., less than one BPW; cf. DSM-5). RESULTS Most BED patients (91.5%) reported a history of trauma, with two in three patients reporting three or more traumatic experiences. Whereas the number of traumatic experiences was not significantly associated with a reduction in BPW or remission, a higher traumatic impact score significantly decreased the likelihood of obtaining remission at the end of treatment (OR = 0.96; 95% CI [0.92, 0.99]). Higher levels of dissociative symptoms partially mediated this prospective association. CONCLUSIONS The impact of traumatic experiences, as opposed to the number of traumatic experiences experienced, negatively predicts remission after 6 months of CBT. These findings highlight the importance of addressing trauma and dissociative features in the CBT treatment of BED.
Intraspecific variability drives functional changes in lichen epiphytic communities across Europe.

Traditional approaches in trait-based community ecology typically expect that trait filtering across broad environmental gradients is largely due to replacement of species, rather than intraspecific trait adjustments. Recently, the role of intraspecific trait variability has been largely highlighted as an important contributor mediating the ability of the communities to persist under changing conditions and determining the community-level trait variation, particularly across limited environmental gradients. Unfortunately, few studies quantify the relative importance of species turnover versus intraspecific variability mediating the response of communities different to vascular plants. Here, we studied the functional changes in epiphytic lichen communities within 23 beech forests across large latitudinal (ca. 3000 km) and environmental gradients in Europe to quantify the relative contribution of species turnover and intraspecific variability and the role of climate controlling community-level trait changes. For 58 lichen species, we focused on a set of ten quantitative functional traits potentially affected by climatic conditions and related to photosynthetic performance (n = 1184 thalli), water use strategy (n = 1018 thalli) and nutrient uptake (n = 1179 thalli). Our results showed that intraspecific trait variability explained most of the functional changes in lichen communities in response to the latitudinal gradient. Further, such functional changes were determined by the covariation between intraspecific trait variability and species turnover, which varied in sign depending on the trait considered. Finally, different climatic predictors explained functional variation due to both intraspecific trait variability and species turnover. We propose that lichen communities cope with contrasting climatic conditions by adjusting the functional trait values of the most abundant species within the communities rather than by the replacement of the species. Consequently, intraspecific variability should be explicitly incorporated to better understand the effect of environmental changes on lichen communities, even over large environmental variations. Our results challenge the universality of the hypothesis that species turnover chiefly drives functional trait changes across large environmental gradients and call for a wider test of such important assumptions in trait-ecology in different organism types and ecosystems.
CRb and PbBa8.1 Synergically Increases Resistant Genes Expression upon Infection of Plasmodiophora brassicae in Brassica napus

PbBa8.1 and CRb are two clubroot-resistant genes that are important for canola breeding in China. Previously, we combined these resistant genes and developed a pyramid-based, homozygous recurrent inbred line (618R), the results of which showed strong resistance to Plasmodiophora brassicae field isolates; however, the genetic mechanisms of resistance were unclear. In the present work, we conducted comparative RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) analysis between 618R and its parental lines (305R and 409R) in order to uncover the transcriptomic response of the superior defense mechanisms of 618R and to determine how these two different resistant genes coordinate with each other. Here, we elucidated that the number and expression of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in 618R are significantly higher than in the parental lines, and PbBa8.1 shares more DEGs and plays a dominant role in the pyramided line. The common DEGs among the lines largely exhibit non-additive expression patterns and enrichment in resistance pathways. Among the enriched pathways, plant–pathogen interaction, plant hormone signaling transduction, and secondary metabolites are the key observation. However, the expressions of the salicylic acid (SA) signaling pathway and reactive oxygen species (ROS) appear to be crucial regulatory components in defense response. Our findings provide comprehensive transcriptomic insight into understanding the interactions of resistance gene pyramids in single lines and can facilitate the breeding of improved resistance in Brassica napus.
Emergence of Streptococcus pneumoniae serotype 19A (Spn19A) in the pediatric population in Bogotá, Colombia as the main cause of invasive pneumococcal disease after the introduction of PCV10

ABSTRACT Introduction: With the use of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines(PCV), the behavior of invasive pneumococcal disease(IPD) has changed relative to serotype distribution. The introduction of these vaccines in national immunization programs has reduced the incidence of IPD, with a marked decrease in the circulation of the serotypes included in the vaccine used in each country. However, the subsequent emergence of other serotypes not included in the vaccine, such 19A in case of PCV7 and PCV10, has been documented. Materials and methods: This was case series study (2008–2017) in pediatric patients admitted to 10 hospitals in Bogota who were diagnosed with IPD. It was conducted during the transitional period of implementing the PCV10 vaccine in Colombia in 2012. Cases of bacteremic pneumococcal pneumonia, meningitis, primary bacteremia and osteoarticular infection were included. A descriptive analysis of the demographic, clinical and laboratory variables of patients with IPD by Spn19A, its trend over time, profiles of antimicrobial susceptibility and clinical outcomes was performed. Results: There were 463 cases of IPD, 315(68%) with known serotypes. The prevalence of IPD by Spn19A was 17.7%(56 cases), tending to increase over time. During 2008–2011, the prevalence was 4.4%, and during 2014–2017, it was 32.4%, The most frequent diagnosis was pneumonia(80.4%). In nonmeningeal isolates, 39.6% were not susceptible to penicillin. An increase in the resistance was observed over time. Conclusion: Spn19A is a prevalent cause of IPD in the pediatric population of the analyzed cohort, with an increasing trend of this serotype during the surveillance period after the introduction of PCV10, being the most common serotype identified in recent years.
Blood Metabolite Signatures of Metabolic Syndrome in Two Cross-Cultural Older Adult Cohorts

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) affects an increasing number of older adults worldwide. Cross-cultural comparisons can provide insight into how factors, including genetic, environmental, and lifestyle, may influence MetS prevalence. Metabolomics, which measures the biochemical products of cell processes, can be used to enhance a mechanistic understanding of how biological factors influence metabolic outcomes. In this study we examined associations between serum metabolite concentrations, representing a range of biochemical pathways and metabolic syndrome in two older adult cohorts: The Tsuruoka Metabolomics Cohort Study (TMCS) from Japan (n = 104) and the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA) from the United States (n = 146). We used logistic regression to model associations between MetS and metabolite concentrations. We found that metabolites from the phosphatidylcholines-acyl-alkyl, sphingomyelin, and hexose classes were significantly associated with MetS and risk factor outcomes in both cohorts. In BLSA, metabolites across all classes were uniquely associated with all outcomes. In TMCS, metabolites from the amino acid, biogenic amines, and free fatty acid classes were uniquely associated with MetS, and metabolites from the sphingomyelin class were uniquely associated with elevated triglycerides. The metabolites and metabolite classes we identified may be relevant for future studies exploring disease mechanisms and identifying novel precision therapy targets for individualized medicine.
A Delayed Morning and Earlier Evening Time-Restricted Feeding Protocol for Improving Glycemic Control and Dietary Adherence in Men with Overweight/Obesity: A Randomized Controlled Trial

We determined the effects of time-restricted feeding (TRF; 8 h/d) versus extended feeding (EXF; 15 h/d) on 24-h and postprandial metabolism and subjective opinions of TRF in men with overweight/obesity. In a randomized crossover design, 11 sedentary males (age 38 ± 5 y; BMI: 32.2 ± 2.0 kg/m2) completed two isoenergetic diet protocols for 5 days, consuming meals at 1000, 1300 and 1700 h (TRF) or 0700, 1400 and 2100 h (EXF). On Day 5, participants remained in the laboratory for 24 h, and blood samples were collected at hourly (0700–2300 h) then 2-hourly (2300–0700 h) intervals for concentrations of glucose, insulin and appetite/incretin hormones. Structured qualitative interviews were conducted following completion of both dietary conditions and investigated thematically. Total 24-h area under the curve (AUCtotal) [glucose] tended to be lower for TRF versus EXF (−5.5 ± 9.0 mmol/L/h, p = 0.09). Nocturnal glucose AUC was lower in TRF (−4.2 ± 5.8 mmol/L/h, p = 0.04), with no difference in waking glucose AUC or AUCtotal for [insulin]. Attitudes towards TRF were positive with improved feelings of well-being. Barriers to TRF were work schedules, family commitments and social events. Compared to extended feeding, short-term TRF improved nocturnal glycemic control and was positively perceived in men with overweight/obesity.