Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Management of endocrine disease: Thyroid and Female Infertility:More Questions than Answers?!

Severe thyroid dysfunction may lead to menstrual disorders and infertility via direct and indirect interactions with the hypothalamo-pituitary-ovarian axis and the reproductive organs. However, the precise prevalence of infertility in women with thyroid disorders remains unknown. Fertility problems may persist even after restoring normal thyroid function, and then surgery and/or an assisted reproductive technology (ART) may be necessary to obtain a pregnancy. The initial step in an ART treatment is the ovarian stimulation, putting strain on the thyroid gland, potentially leading to (permanent) hypothyroidism in women with thyroid autoimmunity (TAI) or when already treated with thyroid hormones (LT4). Moreover, women with ovarian and unexplained causes of infertility have a higher prevalence of TAI. In women treated with LT4, a serum TSH level <2.5 mIU/L should be targeted before ART. In women with TSH levels >4.0 mIU/L, fertilisation rates, embryo quality and live birth rates may be impaired and improved with LT4 therapy. In euthyroid women with TAI, LT4 should not be given systematically, but on a case-by-case basis if serum TSH is >2.5 mIU/L. For all of the above reasons, women of infertile couples should be screened routinely for the presence of thyroid disorders. In this review, we will focus on the gaps in the current knowledge, the remaining questions on the associations between thyroid (disorders) and (assisted) reproduction and make proposals for future investigations that may lead to a better understanding and contribute to novel treatment options in the long term.
EUS-guided transgastric pancreatic necrosectomy in a patient with sleeve gastrectomy (with video)

474 Address for correspondence Dr. Gurhan Sisman, Halkalı Merkez District, Turgut Özal Boulevard, No: 16, Acibadem Mehmet Ali Aydinlar University Atakent Hospital, Küçükçekmece, 34303 Istanbul, Turkey. E-mail: gurhan.sisman@acibadem.edu. tr Received: 2020-08-05; Accepted: 2020-11-15; Published online: 2021-01-17 EUS‐guided transgastric pancreatic necrosectomy in a patient with sleeve gastrectomy (with video)
A new somasteroid from the Fezouata Lagerstätte in Morocco and the Early Ordovician origin of Asterozoa

The somasteroids are Lower Palaeozoic star-shaped animals widely regarded as ancestors of Asterozoa, the group of echinoderms that includes brittle stars and starfish. However, the origin of asterozoans, the assembly of their distinctive body organization, and their relationships with other Cambrian and Ordovician echinoderms remain problematic owing to the difficulties of comparing the endoskeleton between disparate groups. Here, we describe the new somasteroid Cantabrigiaster fezouataensis, a primitive asterozoan from the Early Ordovician Fezouata Lagerstätte in Morocco. Cantabrigiaster shares with other somasteroids a unique endoskeletal arm organization and the presence of rod-like virgal ossicles that articulate with the ambulacrals, but differs from all other known asterozoans in the absence of adambulacral ossicles defining the arm margins, evoking parallels with non-asterozoan echinoderms. Developmentally informed Bayesian and parsimony phylogenetic analyses, which reflect the homology of the biserial ambulacral ossicles in Palaeozoic echinoderms according to the extraxial–axial theory, recover Cantabrigiaster as the earliest divergent stem-group asterozoan. Our results illuminate the ancestral morphology of Asterozoa, and clarify the affinities of problematic Ordovician Asterozoa. Bayesian inference and parsimony demonstrate that somasteroids represent a paraphyletic grade within stem- and crown-group Asterozoa, whereas stenuroids are paraphyletic within stem-group Ophiuroidea. Our results also offer potential insights on the evolutionary relationships between asterozoans, crinoids and potential Cambrian stem-group representatives.
Some strategies for the improvement of a Spanish WordNet

Although there are currently several versions of Princeton WordNet for different languages, the lack of development of some of these versions does not make it possible to use them in different Natural Language Processing applications. So is the case of the Spanish Wordnet contained in the Multilingual Central Repository (MCR), which we tried unsuccessfully to incorporate into an anaphora resolution application and also in search terms expansion. In this situation, different strategies to improve MCR Spanish WordNet coverage were put forward and tested, obtaining encouraging results. A specific process was conducted to increase the number of adverbs, and a few simple processes were applied which made it possible to increase, at a very low cost, the number of terms in the Spanish WordNet. Finally, a more complex method based on distributional semantics was proposed, using the relations between English Wordnet synsets, also returning positive results.
Risk of cancer in patients with ankylosing spondylitis: a nationwide cohort study in Taiwan

Objective: To estimate the incidence of cancer among patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and compare this risk with that of the general population. Method: We obtained data from Taiwan’s National Health Insurance database on 19 289 patients with a first diagnosis of AS registered between 2000 and 2012 with no history of cancer before the diagnosis of AS. Standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) for all cancers and for site-specific cancers were used to assess whether AS was associated with an increased risk of cancer. Results: During the follow-up period, 485 patients developed cancer. The incidence rate was therefore 256.3 per 100 000 person-years. Compared with the general population, patients with AS had an increased risk of cancer [SIR 1.33, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.20–1.47]. The SIR of cancer was higher in older patients; the risk increased from 8 years after initial diagnosis. Among solid tumours, the risk of melanoma was the highest (SIR 4.64, 95% CI 1.93–11.15), followed by prostate (SIR 2.53, 95% CI 2.01–3.19), thyroid (SIR 2.09, 95% CI 1.45–3.00), and bone cancer (SIR 2.00, 95% CI 1.01–3.99). Among haematological cancers, the risk of leukaemia was the highest (SIR 1.94, 95% CI 1.21–3.12). By contrast, the risks of oesophageal and oral cancers decreased in patients with AS. Conclusion: This nationwide population-based cohort study demonstrated that patients with AS in Taiwan are at an increased risk of cancer, particularly melanoma; prostate, thyroid, and bone cancers; and haematological malignancies.
Posterior subcapsular cataracts are a late effect after acute exposure to 0.5 Gy ionizing radiation in mice

Abstract Purpose The long-term effect of low and moderate doses of ionizing radiation on the lens is still a matter of debate and needs to be evaluated in more detail. Material and Methods We conducted a detailed histological analysis of eyes from B6C3F1 mice cohorts after acute gamma irradiation (60Co source; 0.063 Gy/min) at young adult age of 10 weeks with doses of 0.063, 0.125, and 0.5 Gy. Sham irradiated (0 Gy) mice were used as controls. To test for genetic susceptibility heterozygous Ercc2 mutant mice were used and compared to wild-type mice of the same strain background. Mice of both sexes were included in all cohorts. Eyes were collected 4 h, 12, 18 and 24 months after irradiation. For a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms, metabolomics analyses were performed in lenses and plasma samples of the same mouse cohorts at 4 and 12 h as well as 12, 18 and 24 months after irradiation. For this purpose, a targeted analysis was chosen. Results This analysis revealed histological changes particularly in the posterior part of the lens that rarely can be observed by using Scheimpflug imaging, as we reported previously. We detected a significant increase of posterior subcapsular cataracts (PSCs) 18 and 24 months after irradiation with 0.5 Gy (odds ratio 9.3; 95% confidence interval 2.1–41.3) independent of sex and genotype. Doses below 0.5 Gy (i.e. 0.063 and 0.125 Gy) did not significantly increase the frequency of PSCs at any time point. In lenses, we observed a clear effect of sex and aging but not of irradiation or genotype. While metabolomics analyses of plasma from the same mice showed only a sex effect. Conclusions This article demonstrates a significant radiation-induced increase in the incidence of PSCs, which could not be identified using Scheimpflug imaging as the only diagnostic tool.
Zebrafish model for spondylo-megaepiphyseal-metaphyseal dysplasia reveals post-embryonic roles of Nkx3.2 in the skeleton

ABSTRACT The regulated expansion of chondrocytes within growth plates and joints ensures proper skeletal development through adulthood. Mutations in the transcription factor NKX3.2 underlie spondylo-megaepiphyseal-metaphyseal dysplasia (SMMD), which is characterized by skeletal defects including scoliosis, large epiphyses, wide growth plates and supernumerary distal limb joints. Whereas nkx3.2 knockdown zebrafish and mouse Nkx3.2 mutants display embryonic lethal jaw joint fusions and skeletal reductions, respectively, they lack the skeletal overgrowth seen in SMMD patients. Here, we report adult viable nkx3.2 mutant zebrafish displaying cartilage overgrowth in place of a missing jaw joint, as well as severe dysmorphologies of the facial skeleton, skullcap and spine. In contrast, cartilage overgrowth and scoliosis are absent in rare viable nkx3.2 knockdown animals that lack jaw joints, supporting post-embryonic roles for Nkx3.2. Single-cell RNA-sequencing and in vivo validation reveal increased proliferation and upregulation of stress-induced pathways, including prostaglandin synthases, in mutant chondrocytes. By generating a zebrafish model for the skeletal overgrowth defects of SMMD, we reveal post-embryonic roles for Nkx3.2 in dampening proliferation and buffering the stress response in joint-associated chondrocytes. Summary: Characterization of a zebrafish model of SMMD reveals that the transcription factor Nkx3.2 fine-tunes chondrocyte proliferation at skeletal joints versus endochondral growth plates by modulating stress-response and mTORC1 pathways.
Structure and binding ability of self‐assembled α‐lactalbumin protein nanotubular gels

Partial hydrolysis of whey‐based α‐lactalbumin (α‐La) with Bacillus licheniformis protease (BLP) induces the formation of nanotubular structures in the presence of calcium ions by a self‐assembly process. α‐La nanotubes (α‐LaNTs) exist in the form of regular hollow strands with well‐defined average dimensions. The growth of nanotubes induces the formation of stiff transparent protein gels due to the well‐arranged networks that the strands can form; these gels can be used for entrapment, transportation, and target delivery of bioactive agents in the industry. High purity of α‐La (free of other whey protein fractions) is desirable for nanotube formation; however, pure proteins are very expensive and not practically obtained for industrial applications. Thus, the purpose of this research was to construct α‐LaNTs from an α‐La preparation with lower purity and to study the gelation phenomena triggered by the self‐assembled nanotubes. Some structural features of nanotube gels and their active agent‐binding abilities were also investigated. A lower amount of α‐LaNTs was observed when low purity α‐La was used for nanotube formation. Nanotube growth induced gel formation and higher gel stiffness was obtained when compared to α‐La hydrolysates. α‐La was denatured after hydrolysis and self‐assembly, and remarkable changes were observed in the α‐helix and β‐sheet domains of α‐La structure. Increased intensity in Amide I and II regions indicated potential locations for binding of active agents to α‐LaNTs. Whey‐based α‐La without much purification can be used to produce nanotubular gels and these gels can be considered carrying matrices for active agents in various industrial applications.
Current perspectives on use of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor agents for retinal disorders

The introduction of intravitreal anti‐vascular endothelial growth factor (anti‐VEGF) agents has lead to paradigm shifts in management of retinal disorders of various etiologies. We have come a long way from macular photocoagulation for neovascular age‐related macular degeneration (nAMD) and grid laser photocoagulation for macular edema secondary to vein occlusions (RVO) and diabetic retinopathy (DME). The fact that intravitreal injections have become mainstay in the treatment of these diseases is common knowledge now and most ophthalmologists do not hesitate in initiating treatment. Yet there appears hesitancy in advising reinjections. In this editorial, I discuss important aspects of treatment regimens and various different drugs available to us, with special emphasis on biosimilars and newer agents that have the potential to revolutionize treatments and reduce treatment burden.
Investigating the relationship between job stress, workload and oxidative stress in nurses

Objectives. Occupational stress and workload are common risk factors among nurses that increase absenteeism, reduce the quality and quantity of patient care, increase care costs and increase the patient safety risk. The relation between these risk factors and oxidative stress levels has not been clearly defined. Methods. This study was conducted with 258 participants (126 nurses as the case group and 132 healthy adults as the control group). Information was collected using a demographic questionnaire, the nurses’ occupational stress scale and the NASA task load index workload questionnaire. Blood samples were taken from the participants and then the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) were measured in the serum samples. Independent t tests and one-way analysis of variance were used for statistical analysis. Results. SOD and TAC were significantly higher and MDA was significantly lower among the case group compared to the control group. TAC levels significantly decreased with increased stress. MDA levels showed negative associations with stress and workload. Nurses experience high levels of occupational stress and workload. Conclusion. Biomarkers such as SOD, TAC and MDA are the most important predictors of work stress and overwork in this study.
Electrical Supercooling Mitigation in Erythritol

This report describes an experimental investigation into the effect of electric current in reducing the supercooling of erythritol. Previous studies have identified erythritol as a prime material candidate for moderate temperature thermal energy storage (TES) systems due to its high latent heat of fusion and melting temperature (118°C), but it has also shown excessive supercooling, sometimes exceeding 65°C [1]. Various methods for controlling or reducing supercooling are reviewed, including work by Shichiri and Hozumi showing that a small electric current passed through supercooled water is highly effective in initiating nucleation [2,3]. In the present study, the authors demonstrate a similar effect with erythritol by subjecting a sample to repeated thermal cycles with and without the application of a direct electric current. The control cases without electric current showed a highly variable recrystallization temperature ranging from 67°C to 109°C (or supercooling magnitudes from 9 to 51°C). Passing a direct current through the sample using silver wire electrodes significantly shifted the material’s nucleation behavior. The local nucleation temperature only varied from 108°C to 112°C (or 6–10°C of supercooling), and nucleation always occurred on the positive electrode surface. Control cases both before and after the electrical trials indicated no noticeable change in sample crystallization behavior.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Thermal stability and internal dynamics of lysozyme as affected by hydration

A differential scanning micro-calorimetric (DSC) investigation has been performed to study the thermal stability of lysozyme solvated in glycerol as a function of the water content h (grams of water/grams of lysozyme). The unfolding process is strongly dependent on h, as it is witnessed by the behavior of the melting temperature Tm which shows a significant drop in the hydration range from 0 h to 0.4/0.5 h. The specific heat difference ΔCp between denatured and native state also displays an important variation for water amounts lower than ca. 0.5 h. For higher water amounts, both Tm and ΔCp seem to attain constant values. Such hydration dependent behavior is reminiscent of the trend exhibited by some quantities characterizing the protein internal dynamics on the pico- and nano-second timescale, as estimated by elastic neutron scattering. Also the protein mobility, which is measured through mean square displacements (MSD), increases mainly for water amounts lower than ca. 0.5 h, in the same range where the protein molecular rigidity rapidly drops down. This behaviour emphasizes the crucial role played by hydration water in determining both the protein thermodynamic and dynamic quantities.
Evolutionary and terminological analysis of the flexor digitorum superficialis, interflexorii and palmaris longus muscles in kinkajou (Potos flavus) and crab‐eating racoon (Procyon cancrivorus)

The kinkajou (Potos flavus) and crab‐eating raccoon (Procyon cancrivorus) are carnivores belonging to the family Procyonidae, but both species are characterized by different types of locomotion. Differences can be found in the adaptations that these two species present in the forearm muscles, such as the flexor digitorum superficialis (FDS), palmaris longus (PL) and interflexorii (IF), which have been described confusingly in previous studies. Therefore, the aim of this study was to describe these muscles in both species together with their innervations to carry out an evolutionary and terminological analysis among carnivorans. Both thoracic limbs were dissected from five P. flavus and three P. cancrivorus that had died of natural causes in Wildlife Care Centers. Two PL muscles (m. palmaris longus lateralis, PLL, and m. palmaris longus medialis, PLM) were found in P. flavus, and the IF were the only superficial flexors of the digits, whereas P. cancrivorus presented the IF and two bellies homologous to the two PLs of P. flavus, where the homologous belly of the PLM sent tendons to digits II–IV. Therefore, it was considered as the FDS due to its similarity to other carnivorans, and the lateral belly is the only PL present in P. cancrivorus. The topology, attachments and innervation of these muscles in P. flavus and P. cancrivorus allowed homologies to be established, hypothesizing their evolutionary derivation from the FDS. It also allowed the differences among PL, FDS and IF muscles to be described, concluding that most carnivorans do not have a PL.
Association between circulating rotavirus genotypes and histo‐blood group antigens in the children hospitalized with acute gastroenteritis in Iran

Rotaviruses are the dominant cause of severe acute gastroenteritis in children under 5 years of age. Previous studies showed that some children are less susceptible to rotavirus gastroenteritis. It has been shown that this resistance depends on the rotavirus genotype and also human histo‐blood group antigens (HBGAs), which works as a receptor for rotavirus surface protein (VP4). The present study aimed to evaluate the human genetic susceptibility to rotavirus gastroenteritis in Iran and to obtain a comparative analysis between rotavirus gastroenteritis and secretor or Lewis status in case and control groups in the Iranian population. The study was performed on fecal specimens from 108 children with acute rotavirus gastroenteritis from 2015 to 2017. A total of 50 fecal specimens from children with acute gastroenteritis of unknown etiology were also used as a control group. After the genotyping of positive rotavirus cases and human HBGAs by Sanger sequencing, the phylogenetic tree analysis showed that all rotavirus strains from Iran belonged to P[II]. The most common genotype was P[8] (n = 102; 94.4%), while the remaining belonged to P[4] (n = 3; 2.8%) and P[6] (n = 3; 2.8%) genotypes. The P[8] genotype was found to be associated with secretor and Lewis positive status (p < .05).
Numerical Analysis of Aerospace Nickel-Based Single-Crystal Superalloy Weldability Part II: Nonequilibrium Solidification Behavior

The thermal metallurgical modeling by coupling of heat transfer model, dendrite selection model, columnar/equiaxed transition (CET) model and nonequilibrium solidification model was further developed to numerically analyze stray grain formation and solidification temperature range on the basis of three criteria of constitutional undercooling, marginal stability of planar front and minimum growth velocity during multicomponent nickel-based single-crystal superalloy weld pool solidification. It is indicated that the primary γ gamma phase microstructure development and solidification cracking susceptibility along the solid/liquid interface are symmetrically distributed throughout the weld pool in (001) and [100] welding configuration. The microstructure development and solidification cracking susceptibility along the solid/liquid interface are asymmetrically distributed in (001) and [110] welding configuration. Appropriate low heat input (low laser power and high welding speed) simultaneously minimizes stray grain formation, grain boundary misorientation and solidification temperature range in the vulnerable [100] dendrite growth region and beneficially maintains single-crystal nature of the material in the [001] epitaxial dendrite growth region to improve the cracking resistance, while high heat input (high laser power and low welding speed) increases the solidification cracking susceptibility to deteriorate weldability and weld integrity. The solidification temperature range in (001) and [110] welding configuration is detrimentally wider than that of (001) and [100] welding configuration due to crystallographic orientation of dendrite growth regardless of heat input. The mechanism of asymmetrical crystallography-dependant solidification cracking because of nonequilibrium solidification behavior is proposed. The elliptical and shallow weld pool shape is less susceptible to solidification cracking for successful crack-free laser welding. Moreover, the promising theoretical predictions agree well with the experiment results. The useful modeling is also applicable to other single-crystal superalloys with similar metallurgical properties during laser welding or laser cladding.
Study of Natural Convection Melting of Phase Change Material inside a Rectangular Cavity with Non-Uniformly Heated Wall

In the present numerical study, the convection diffusion phenomena associated with solid-liquid phase transition processes during phase change material (PCM) melting within a rectangular cavity is studied. The cavity is heated from left wall with a sinusoidal temperature distribution. Initially the enclosure was filled by solid gallium at melting temperature 29.78°C. The enthalpy-based lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) with D2Q9 particle velocity model is used to solve density, velocity and temperature fields. Influence of Rayleigh number ranging from 103 to 4×105 on streamlines, isotherms and liquid fraction is analyzed. The results indicate that natural convection of liquid phase change material (PCM) plays a significant role in the melting heat transfer of PCM. It is found that the rate of the melting increases with the increase in the values of the Rayleigh number.