Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Continuing Persistence and Biomagnification of DDT and Metabolites in Northern Temperate Fruit Orchard Avian Food Chains

Dichlorodiphenyldichlorethane (1,1,1‐trichloro‐2,2‐bis(p‐chlorophenyl)ethane) (DDT) is an organochlorine insecticide that was widely used from the late 1940s to the 1970s in fruit orchards in the Okanagan valley, British Columbia, Canada, and in the process, contaminated American robin (Turdus migratorius) food chains with the parent compound and metabolite dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (1,1‐dichloro‐2,2‐bis(4‐chlorophenyl)ethylene) (p,p′‐DDE). In the present study, we examined the biological fate of these DDT‐related (DDT‐r) compounds at the same sites/region 26 years after a previous study by: (1) collecting soil, earthworms, and American robin eggs from apple, cherry, and pear orchards; (2) characterizing the diet and trophic positions of our biota using stable isotope analyses of δ13C and δ15N; and (3) estimating fugacity, biota‐soil‐accumulation factors (BSAFs), and biomagnification factors (BMFs). Mean p,p′‐DDE concentrations (soil: 16.1 µg/g organic carbon‐lipid equivalent; earthworms: 96.5 µg/g lipid equivalent; eggs: 568 µg/g lipid equivalent) revealed that contamination is present at elevated levels similar to the 1990s and our average soil DDE:DDT ratio of 1.42 confirmed that DDT is slowly degrading. American robins appeared to feed at similar trophic levels, but on different earthworms as indicated by egg stable isotope values (mean δ15N = 8.51‰ ± 0.25; δ13C = −26.32‰ ± 0.12). Lumbricidae and Aporrectodea worms shared a roughly similar δ15N value; however, Lumbricus terrestris showed a markedly enriched δ13C isotope, suggesting differences in organic matter consumption and physiological bioavailability. Biota‐soil‐accumulation factors and BMFs ranged over several orders of magnitude and were generally >1 and our fugacity analyses suggested that p,p′‐DDE is still thermodynamically biomagnifying in American robin food chains. Our results demonstrate that DDT‐r in fruit orchards remains bioavailable to free‐living terrestrial passerines and may pose a potential toxicological risk. Environ Toxicol Chem 2021;40:3379–3391. © 2021 Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC. Reproduced with the permission of the Minister of Environment and Climate Change Canada.
Screening for Psychological Distress in Vietnamese Cancer Patients: An Evaluation of the Distress Thermometer

Psychological distress is prevalent in patients with cancer, negatively affecting their treatment and quality of life. Clinical guidelines recommended screening all cancer patients routinely for psychological problems using simple measures such as the Distress Thermometer (DT) and Problem List (PL). This study is the first research in Vietnam to identify the optimal DT cutoff point to screen distress and the relationship with PL items among cancer patients.
Cognitive and Executive Function in Congenital Heart Disease: A Meta-analysis

CONTEXT Cognitive function and executive function (EF) impairments contribute to the long-term burden of congenital heart disease (CHD). However, the degree and profile of impairments are insufficiently described. OBJECTIVE To systematically review and meta-analyze the evidence on cognitive function and EF outcomes in school-aged children operated for CHD and identify the risk factors for an unfavorable outcome. DATA SOURCES Cochrane, Embase, Medline, and PsycINFO. STUDY SELECTION Original peer-reviewed studies reporting cognitive or EF outcome in 5- to 17-year old children with CHD after cardiopulmonary bypass surgery. DATA EXTRACTION Results of IQ and EF assessments were extracted, and estimates were transformed to means and SE. Standardized mean differences were calculated for comparison with healthy controls. RESULTS Among 74 studies (3645 children with CHD) reporting total IQ, the summary estimate was 96.03 (95% confidence interval: 94.91 to 97.14). Hypoplastic left heart syndrome and univentricular CHD cohorts performed significantly worse than atrial and ventricular septum defect cohorts (P = .0003; P = .027). An older age at assessment was associated with lower IQ scores in cohorts with transposition of the great arteries (P = .014). Among 13 studies (774 children with CHD) reporting EF compared with controls, the standardized mean difference was −0.56 (95% confidence interval: −0.65 to −0.46) with no predilection for a specific EF domain or age effect. LIMITATIONS Heterogeneity between studies was large. CONCLUSIONS Intellectual impairments in CHD are frequent, with severity and trajectory depending on the CHD subtype. EF performance is poorer in children with CHD without a specific EF profile. The heterogeneity in studied populations and applied assessments is large. A uniform testing guideline is urgently needed.
Clinical and Radiological Outcomes of Two Modified Open-door Laminoplasties Based on a Novel Paraspinal Approach for Treatment of Multilevel Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy

To minimize intraoperative injury to extensor muscles, we performed two modified laminoplasties through a novel paraspinal intermuscular approach, and found both procedures with satisfied outcomes and advantages over conventional laminoplasty. Moreover, unilateral muscle-preserving procedure resulted in similar outcomes with less operation time compared to the other procedure. Study Design. A case–control study. Objectives. The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcomes of two modified laminoplasties (LPs) based on a novel paraspinal approach for treating multilevel cervical spondylotic myelopathy. Summary of Background Data. No laminoplasty through a natural intermuscular plane mimicking Wiltse approach to minimize intraoperative injury to extensor muscles has ever been developed and studied. Methods. Ninety-two patients were enrolled, including patients treated with either modified LP and patients treated with concurrent conventional LP. Operation time, blood loss, and complications were recorded. Clinical outcomes were evaluated by VAS, JOA scores, and recovery rate. Cervical sagittal alignment was measured on cervical radiographs. Spinal canal expansion was assessed on CT scans. Cross-sectional area (CSA) and atrophy rate (AR) of cervical deep extensors were evaluated on MRI. Results. The average follow-up duration was 33.05, 31.55, 33.02, and 32.52 months, respectively in each group. Compared to concurrent conventional procedure, unilateral muscle-preserving procedure displayed similar, whereas bilateral muscle-preserving procedure showed significantly increased operation time and blood loss; each modified procedure resulted in comparable and satisfied perioperative clinical scores, spinal canal expansion while achieving significantly lower axial pain incidence, better cervical lordosis maintenance, and better deep extensor preservation. AR of deep extensors on the open side was significantly lower than that on the hinge side. Bilateral paraspinal approach demonstrated significantly better muscle-preservation on the open side and increased operation duration, with similar clinical scores, axial pain incidence, cervical lordosis maintenance, and spinal canal expansion compared to unilateral paraspinal approach. Loss of cervical lordosis was strongly correlated with AR of deep extensors. Conclusion. Paraspinal approach is a good manner to protect deep extensor muscles; the two modified LPs have similar effects on clinical outcomes. Level of Evidence: 3
Risk of substance use disorders among adolescents and emerging adults with type 1 diabetes: A population‐based cohort study

Adolescents and emerging adults with chronic health conditions such as type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1D) are more likely to engage in high‐risk behaviors. Previous studies regarding substance use in adolescents and emerging adults with T1D are mostly derived from cross‐sectional studies utilizing self‐administered questionnaires and are limited by lack of population‐based comparison groups. In addition, despite the rising popularity of vaping, little is known about the incidence of vaping in adolescents and emerging adults with T1D.
Offer Acceptance Patterns for Liver Donors Aged 70 and Older

Despite a documented survival benefit, older liver donor (OLD, age ≥70) graft offers are frequently declined, with utilization worsening over the last decade. To understand how offer acceptance varies by center, we studied 1113 eventually transplanted OLD grafts from 2009 to 2017 using Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (SRTR) data and random‐intercept multilevel logistic regression. To understand how center‐level acceptance of OLD graft offers might be associated with waitlist and posttransplant outcomes, we studied all adult, actively listed, liver‐only candidates and recipients during the study period using Poisson regression (transplant rate), competing risks regression (waitlist mortality), and Cox regression (posttransplant mortality). Among 117 centers, OLD offer acceptance ranged from 0 (23 centers) to 95 acceptances, with a median odds ratio of 2.88. Thus, a candidate may be three times as likely to receive an OLD graft simply by listing at a different center. Centers in the highest quartile (Q4) of OLD acceptance (accepted 39% of OLD offers) accepted more nationally shared organs (Q4 versus Q1: 14.1% versus 0.0%, P < 0.001) and had higher annual liver transplant volume (Q4 versus Q1: 80 versus 21, P < 0.001). After adjustment, nationally shared OLD offers (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 0.16, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.13‐0.20) and offers to centers with higher median Model for End‐Stage Liver Disease (MELD) at transplant (aOR: 0.74, 95% CI: 0.62‐0.87) were less likely to be accepted. OLD offers to centers with higher annual transplant volume were more likely to be accepted (aOR: 1.21, 95% CI: 1.14‐1.30). Additionally, candidates listed at centers within the highest quartile of OLD graft offer acceptance had higher deceased donor liver transplantation (DDLT) rates (adjusted incidence rate ratio: 1.45, 95% CI: 1.41‐1.50), lower waitlist mortality (adjusted subhazard ratio: 0.76, 95% CI: 0.72‐0.76), and similar posttransplant survival (adjusted hazard ratio: 0.93, 95% CI: 0.86‐1.01) when compared with those listed at centers in the lowest quartile of OLD graft offer acceptance. The wide variation in OLD offer acceptance supports the need for optimizing the organ offer process and efficiently directing OLD offers to centers more likely to use them.
Detecting Injury Risk Factors with Algorithmic Models in Elite Women’s Pathway Cricket

Abstract This exploratory retrospective cohort analysis aimed to explore how algorithmic models may be able to identify important risk factors that may otherwise not have been apparent. Their association with injury was then assessed with more conventional data models. Participants were players registered on the England and Wales Cricket Board women’s international development pathway (n=17) from April 2018 to August 2019 aged between 14–23 years (mean 18.2±1.9) at the start of the study period. Two supervised learning techniques (a decision tree and random forest with traditional and conditional algorithms) and generalised linear mixed effect models explored associations between risk factors and injury. The supervised learning models did not predict injury (decision tree and random forest area under the curve [AUC] of 0.66 and 0.72 for conditional algorithms) but did identify important risk factors. The best-fitting generalised linear mixed effect model for predicting injury (Akaike Information Criteria [AIC]=843.94, conditional r-squared=0.58) contained smoothed differential 7-day load (P<0.001), average broad jump scores (P<0.001) and 20 m speed (P<0.001). Algorithmic models identified novel injury risk factors in this population, which can guide practice and future confirmatory studies can now investigate.
Myokine Expression and Tumor-Suppressive Effect of Serum after 12 wk of Exercise in Prostate Cancer Patients on ADT

ABSTRACT Purpose Although several mechanisms have been proposed for the tumor-suppressive effect of exercise, little attention has been given to myokines, even though skeletal muscle is heavily recruited during exercise resulting in myokine surges. We measured resting serum myokine levels before and after an exercise-based intervention and the effect of this serum on prostate cancer cell growth. Methods Ten prostate cancer patients undertaking androgen deprivation therapy (age, 73.3 ± 5.6 yr) undertook a 12-wk exercise-based intervention including supervised resistance training, self-directed aerobic exercise, and protein supplementation. Body composition was assessed by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry and muscle strength by the one-repetition maximum method. Fasting blood was collected at baseline and postintervention, and serum levels of myokines—secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine, oncostatin M (OSM), decorin, insulin-like growth factor-1, and insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3)—were measured. The growth of the prostate cancer cell line DU145 with baseline and postintervention serum was measured. Results Body weight (P = 0.011), fat mass (P = 0.012), and percent body fat (P = 0.033) were reduced, whereas percent lean mass (P = 0.001) increased, as did strength (leg press, P = 0.006; chest press, P = 0.020) across the intervention. Serum OSM levels (P = 0.020) and relative serum OSM levels (P = 0.020) increased compared with baseline. A significant reduction in DU145 Cell Index (P = 0.012) and growth rate (P = 0.012) was observed after applying postintervention serum compared with baseline serum. Conclusions This study provides evidence for enhanced myokine expression and tumor-suppressive effects of serum from chronically exercise-trained prostate cancer patients on androgen deprivation therapy.
Data-Driven Sketch Beautification With Neural Feature Representation

This article presents a data-driven approach for beautifying freehand sketches. Our key premise is that the artist-drawn vector can be used to sketch visually appealing shapes, such as local shapes with a clean appearance and better global visual properties (e.g., symmetry). However, these merits may not apply to all object categories. In this article, we use a neural network to represent local and global merits across different object categories to design our beautification method. First, we match sample points between input sketches and the collected vector shapes using the extracted feature representations. Then, we design an optimization problem to ensure resemblance between the deformed sketch and vector shape in the representation space while preserving the semantic meaning and style of the original sketch. Finally, we demonstrate our method on sketches across different shape categories.
Intra-operative mapping and language protection in glioma

Abstract The demand for acquiring different languages has increased with increasing globalization. However, knowledge of the modification of the new language in the neural language network remains insufficient. Although many details of language function have been detected based on the awake intra-operative mapping results, the language neural network of the bilingual or multilingual remains unclear, which raises difficulties in clinical practice to preserve patients’ full language ability in neurosurgery. In this review, we present a summary of the current findings regarding the structure of the language network and its evolution as the number of acquired languages increased in glioma patients. We then discuss a new insight into the awake intra-operative mapping protocol to reduce surgical risks during the preservation of language function in multilingual patients with glioma.
Alleviation of salinity stress in red cabbage plants by urea and sulfur applications

ABSTRACT Environmental stresses, such as salinity, are becoming critical constraints to plant production especially in arid and semi-arid regions, one of the main targets of agricultural studies is to combat the environmental stresses on plants. An open field experiment was carried out to study the influence of sulfur (S) and urea on red cabbage plants under salt stress. The experiment was arranged as a split-plot design with three replications, the main plots included sulfur levels (0, 350, and 700 kg ha−1), while subplots included urea levels (0, 1, 2, and 4 g L−1). Results showed that urea spraying and sulfur soil additions resulted in improvement of growth and yield, and raised the level of potassium and nitrogen while lowering sodium content in plant leaves under salt stress conditions. Generally, larger and heavier heads were found with the application of 700 kg ha−1 sulfur and 2 g L−1 urea.
Recurrence risk after a first remote symptomatic seizure in adults: Epilepsy or not?

The ILAE practical definition of epilepsy has a one seizure possibility to diagnose epilepsy after a first seizure if the recurrence risk is very high. The recurrence risk after a first seizure in brain disorders (first remote seizure) is often high, but varies with etiology, so more specific information is needed for clinical practice. This review describes etiology‐specific recurrence risks in adults with a first remote seizure in stroke, traumatic brain injury, infections, dementia, multiple sclerosis, and tumors. Most studies are short, single center, and retrospective. Inclusion criteria, outcome ascertainment, and results vary. Few patient categories are clearly above the epilepsy threshold of recurrence risk, and there are surprisingly little data for important etiologies like brain infections. Beside stroke, severe TBI could have a sufficiently high recurrence risk for early epilepsy diagnosis, but more studies are needed, preferably prospective ones. The literature is uninformative regarding which seizures qualify as remote. The clinical implication of the low level of available evidence is that for other etiologies than stroke, seizure recurrence remains the most appropriate indicator of epilepsy for most patients with a first remote seizure. Nonetheless, there are worrying indications of a diagnostic drift, which puts patients with a preexisting brain disorder at risk of misdiagnosis. Although there are drawbacks to an intermediate term like “possible epilepsy,” it could perhaps be useful in cases when the recurrence risk is high, but epilepsy criteria are not definitely met after a first remote seizure.
Commercially available carbohydrate drink with menthol fails to improve thermal perception or cycling exercise capacity in males

ABSTRACT The purpose of this double-blinded, crossover randomized and counterbalanced study was to compare the effects of ingesting a tepid commercially available carbohydrate–menthol-containing sports drink (menthol) and an isocaloric carbohydrate-containing sports drink (placebo) on thermal perception and cycling endurance capacity “in a simulated home virtual cycling environment”. It was hypothesized that the addition of menthol would improve indicators of thermal perception and improve endurance exercise capacity. Twelve healthy, endurance-trained males (age 29 ± 5 years, height 181 ± 6 cm, body mass 79 ± 2 kg and V̇O2max 57.3 ± 6.4 mL kg−1 min−1) completed two experimental trials on a stationary bicycle without external air flow. Each trial consisted of (1) cycling for 60 min at 90% of the first ventilatory threshold while receiving a fixed amount of menthol or placebo every 10 min followed immediately by (2) cycling until volitional exhaustion (TTE) at 105% of the intensity corresponding to the respiratory compensation point. TTE did not differ between both conditions (541 ± 177 and 566 ± 150 s for menthol and placebo; p > 0.05) and neither did ratings of perceived thermal comfort or thermal sensation (p > 0.05). Also, the rectal temperature at the end of TTE was comparable between menthol and placebo trials (38.7 ± 0.2°C and 38.7 ± 0.3°C, respectively; p > 0.05). The present results demonstrate that the addition of menthol to commercially available sports drink does not improve thermal comfort or endurance exercise capacity during ∼65 min of intense virtual cycling. Highlights Ingestion of a commercially available carbohydrate–menthol beverage at high exercise intensity and without air flow does not improve endurance exercise capacity. When ingested with carbohydrates, it appears that a combination of carbohydrates and menthol does not improve thermal discomfort caused by intense exercise and a lack of air flow. A menthol concentration higher than 0.01% might be required to induce the reduction in thermal discomfort when ingested in combination with carbohydrates.
Degradome Assisted Plant MicroRNA Prediction Under Alternative Annotation Criteria

Current microRNA (miRNA) prediction methods are generally based on annotation criteria that tend to miss potential functional miRNAs. Recently, new miRNA annotation criteria have been proposed that could lead to improvements in miRNA prediction methods in plants. Here, we investigate the effect of the new criteria on miRNA prediction in Arabidopsis thaliana and present a new degradome assisted functional miRNA prediction approach. We investigated the effect by applying the new criteria, and a more permissive criteria on miRNA prediction using existing miRNA prediction tools. We also developed an approach to miRNA prediction that is assisted by the functional information extracted from the analysis of degradome sequencing. We demonstrate the improved performance of degradome assisted miRNA prediction compared to unassisted prediction and evaluate the approach using miRNA differential expression analysis. We observe how the miRNA predictions fit under the different criteria and show a potential novel miRNA that has been missed within Arabidopsis thaliana. Additionally, we introduce a freely available software ‘PAREfirst’ that employs the degradome assisted approach. The study shows that some miRNAs could be missed due to the stringency of the former annotation criteria, and combining a degradome assisted approach with more permissive miRNA criteria can expand confident miRNA predictions.
Membrane dynamics of ATG4B and LC3 in autophagosome formation

Abstract The biogenesis of autophagosomes provides the basis for macroautophagy to capture and degrade intracellular cargoes. Binding of the autophagy-related protein ATG8/LC3 to autophagic membranes is essential to autophagosome formation, which involves the specific and dynamic processing of ATG8/LC3 by cysteine protease ATG4. However, to date, the mechanism whereby ATG4 is recruited to the membranes, the interaction of ATG4 and ATG8/LC3 on the membranes, and its role in the growth of phagophore are not completely understood. Here, we used fluorescence recovery after photobleaching to monitor the turnover of GFP-tagged ATG4B and LC3B in living animal cells. The data show that ATG4B localizes to early autophagic membranes in an LC3B-dependent manner. During autophagy, ATG4B and LC3B undergo rapid cytosol/isolation membrane exchange but not at the cytosol/completed autophagosome. In addition, ATG4B activity controls the efficiency of autophagosome formation by impacting the membrane binding/dissociation of LC3B. These data suggest that ATG4 and LC3 play interdependent roles in the formation of autophagosomes.