Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Senkyunolide H inhibits activation of microglia and attenuates lipopolysaccharide‐mediated neuroinflammation and oxidative stress in BV2 microglia cells via regulating ERK and NF‐κB pathway

Neuropathic pain is one of the common surgical diseases, which leads to abnormal chronic pain and pain hypersensitivity reaction. Microglia are important glial cells in the spinal cord, which are conducive to sensitization and maintenance of chronic pain. Recently, Senkyunolide H (SNH) has been reported to play an anti‐inflammatory and antioxidant role. However, the mechanisms by which SNH improves neuropathic pain symptoms remain unknown. This study aimed to evaluate and identify the role of SNH in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐mediated neuroinflammation and oxidative stress in BV2. Western blot and immunostaining assays revealed that SNH treatment attenuated LPS‐mediated activation of BV2 in a dose‐dependent manner. Flow cytometry further verified that BV2 microglial cells gradually shifted from an M1 (pro‐inflammatory) phenotype to an M2 (anti‐inflammatory) phenotype after SNH administration. Furthermore, quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction and ELISA assays demonstrated that SNH treatment attenuated LPS‐mediated neuroinflammation and oxidative stress in BV2 microglial cells. Lastly, western blot assays suggested that SHN could inactivate the ERK and NF‐κB signaling pathways. Altogether, our findings have demonstrated that SNH could reverse LPS‐mediated activation of microglia, LPS‐mediated neuroinflammation and oxidative stress in BV2 via regulating the ERK and NF‐κB pathways.
Polysomnographic comparison of sleep in children with obesity and normal weight without suspected sleep‐related breathing disorder

Short sleep and obstructive apneas/hypopneas have been shown to be associated with childhood obesity. Still, few studies have compared sleep in children with obesity, without suspected sleep disordered breathing and normal weight peers by objective sleep measures and compared results with subjective parent assessment of sleep. Children with obesity aged 7–13 years (N = 44) and a matched group of normal weight children (N = 42) completed clinical polysomnography (Embla A10 Recording System). Parents scored their children's sleep on the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ). Mann–Whitney U tests were used to compare groups. There was a higher obstructive apnea/hypopnea index (AHI) (median obesity = 1.20 vs. median normal = 0.66; z = −1.33, U = 560.50, p = 0.002) and number of oxygen desaturation events per hour (median obesity = 0.7 vs. median normal = 0.2; z = −3.45, U = 402.50, p = 0.001) in the children with obesity compared to children with normal weight. The children with obesity had a significantly longer sleep duration (median obesity 8:50 h = vs. median normal = 8:32 h; z = −2.05, U = 687.00, p = 0.041), longer stage N2 sleep (median obesity = 87 min vs. median normal = 52 min; z = −2.87, U = 576.50, p = 0. 004) and shorter REM sleep (median obesity = 94 min vs. median normal = 121 min; z = 5.05, U = 1477.00, p ≤ .001). No differences were observed for time in sleep stage N1 and N3, wake time after sleep onset or the total arousal index . Further, no group differences were found on the CSHQ sleep‐disordered breathing sub‐scale (p = 0.399). The children with obesity demonstrated significantly more mild to moderate sleep disordered breathing than children with normal weight, although this was not corroborated by parent report.
Cathepsin D knockdown regulates biological behaviors of granulosa cells and affects litter size traits in goats

Cathepsin D (CTSD), the major lysosomal aspartic protease that is widely expressed in different tissues, potentially regulates the biological behaviors of various cells. Follicular granulosa cells are responsive to the increase of ovulation number, hence indirectly influencing litter size. However, the mechanism underlying the effect of CTSD on the behaviors of goat granulosa cells has not been fully elucidated. This study used immunohistochemistry to analyze CTSD localization in goat ovarian tissues. Moreover, western blotting was applied to examine the differential expression of CTSD in the ovarian tissues of monotocous and polytocous goats. Subsequently, the effects of CTSD knockdown on cell proliferation, apoptosis, cell cycle, and the expression of candidate genes of the prolific traits, including bone morphogenetic protein receptor IB (BMPR-IB), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSHR), and inhibin α (INHA), were determined in granulosa cells. Results showed that CTSD was expressed in corpus luteum, follicle, and granulosa cells. Notably, CTSD expression in the monotocous group was significantly higher than that in the polytocous group. In addition, CTSD knockdown could improve granulosa cell proliferation, inhibit cell apoptosis, and significantly elevate the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and B cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), but it lowered the expression of Bcl-2-associated X (Bax) and caspase-3. Furthermore, CTSD knockdown significantly reduced the ratios of cells in the G0/G1 and G2/M phases but substantially increased the ratio of cells in the S phase. The expression levels of cyclin D2 and cyclin E were elevated followed by the obvious decline of cyclin A1 expression. However, the expression levels of BMPR-IB, FSHR, and INHA clearly increased as a result of CTSD knockdown. Hence, our findings demonstrate that CTSD is an important factor affecting the litter size trait in goats by regulating the granulosa cell proliferation, apoptosis, cell cycle, and the expression of candidate genes of the prolific trait.
Unveiling whole‐brain dynamics in normal aging through Hidden Markov Models

During normal aging, the brain undergoes structural and functional changes. Many studies applied static functional connectivity (FC) analysis on resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs‐fMRI) data showing a link between aging and the increase of between‐networks connectivity. However, it has been demonstrated that FC is not static but varies over time. By employing the dynamic data‐driven approach of Hidden Markov Models, this study aims to investigate how aging is related to specific characteristics of dynamic brain states. Rs‐fMRI data of 88 subjects, equally distributed in young and old were analyzed. The best model resulted to be with six states, which we characterized not only in terms of FC and mean BOLD activation, but also uncertainty of the estimates. We found two states were mostly occupied by young subjects, whereas three other states by old subjects. A graph‐based analysis revealed a decrease in strength with the increase of age, and an overall more integrated topology of states occupied by old subjects. Indeed, while young subjects tend to cycle in a loop of states characterized by a high segregation of the networks, old subjects' loops feature high integration, with a crucial intermediary role played by the dorsal attention network. These results suggest that the employed mathematical approach captures the complex and rich brain's dynamics underpinning the aging process.
The global status of research in breast cancer liver metastasis: a bibliometric and visualized analysis

ABSTRACT This study aimed to investigate the distribution laws and research frontiers of international literature, so as to present a holistic bibliometric evaluation of the studies on breast cancer liver metastasis(BCLM). Data were collected from the Web of Science Core Collection database, including publications, year, country, journal, author and keywords. The software VOSviewer and CiteSpace were used for bibliometric coupling, co-authorship, co-citation and co-occurrence analysis. In total, 1,031 publications were analyzed from 2004 to 2020 on BCLM. The year with the highest number of publications was 2006, with 103 papers. The United States, followed by China and Germany were the leading countries on BCLM, accounting for 59% of the whole. The journals that published about BCLM were mainly located in Q1/Q2. Keywords co-occurrence analysis divides BCLM into five clusters:‘basic research’, ‘auxiliary diagnosis and therapy’, ‘liver resection’, ‘clinical trial’ and ‘prognosis’. Main treatment therapies were the latest focus. Burst detection indicated that the trends in BCLM concentrated on subtype and SEER. There is apparently brighter perspective for BCLM research in the coming years, especially in liver resection, subtype and bioinformatics. The consequence of our study as the exclusive scientific evaluation offered an integral overview of BCLM, particularly for research focus and future directions, which can further accurately guide scholars on diagnosis, treatment, and personalized prevention.
Efficacy of FFP3 respirators for prevention of SARS-CoV-2 infection in healthcare workers

Background: Respiratory protective equipment recommended in the UK for healthcare workers (HCWs) caring for patients with COVID-19 comprises a fluid-resistant surgical mask (FRSM), except in the context of aerosol generating procedures (AGPs). We previously demonstrated frequent pauci- and asymptomatic severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection HCWs during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK, using a comprehensive PCR-based HCW screening programme (Rivett et al., 2020; Jones et al., 2020). Methods: Here, we use observational data and mathematical modelling to analyse infection rates amongst HCWs working on ‘red’ (coronavirus disease 2019, COVID-19) and ‘green’ (non-COVID-19) wards during the second wave of the pandemic, before and after the substitution of filtering face piece 3 (FFP3) respirators for FRSMs. Results: Whilst using FRSMs, HCWs working on red wards faced an approximately 31-fold (and at least fivefold) increased risk of direct, ward-based infection. Conversely, after changing to FFP3 respirators, this risk was significantly reduced (52–100% protection). Conclusions: FFP3 respirators may therefore provide more effective protection than FRSMs for HCWs caring for patients with COVID-19, whether or not AGPs are undertaken. Funding: Wellcome Trust, Medical Research Council, Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust, NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre, NHS Blood and Transfusion, UKRI.
Prevalence of apical periodontitis between root canal-treated and non-treated teeth and between genders: A cross-sectional CBCT study

Background: Apical periodontitis (AP) is one of the most important prognostic factors in almost all endodontic outcome studies. The high prevalence of AP has been reported in different populations. Aims: The aim of the present study was to investigate (a) the overall prevalence of AP among all permanent teeth, (b) the differences between root canal-treated (RCT) and non-treated teeth in association with AP, and (c) the influence of gender on AP in a Saudi Arabian population using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). Materials and Methods: A total of 208 CBCT radiographs (including 5,504 permanent teeth) were investigated. The CBCT machine used in this study was a 3D Accuitomo 170 (Morita, Japan) with the following features: 90 kV, 5–8 mA, 17.5 s exposure time, and 0.25 mm voxel size. The radiographs of the axial, coronal, and sagittal segments of each tooth were acquired to evaluate the presence or absence of RCT teeth and AP. The data were presented as frequencies and percentages. Z test was used to analyze the differences in proportions at the significance level of P < 0.05. Results: The overall prevalence of AP was 4.5% (264 out of 5,504 permanent teeth). AP had the highest frequencies in the mandibular and maxillary first molars (18.4 and 9.3%, respectively) with a higher prevalence in the maxillary teeth. AP was associated with endodontically treated teeth more than the untreated ones (66.3% compared with 33.7%) with a highly significant difference (P < 0.001). AP was more prevalent in females than in males but with no statistically significant difference (P > 0.05). Conclusion: AP had a low prevalence (4.5%) in all permanent teeth and was highly associated with RCT teeth (66.3%). First molars had the highest prevalence of AP. Care must be taken when examining patient radiographs to avoid missing AP, particularly in RCT teeth.
Multi-Objective Optimization of Aluminum Foam Double Tube Subjected to Oblique Impact Loading for Automobile Bumper Beam

This paper presents the multi-objective optimization of aluminum foam double circular tube under oblique load for various load angle and geometry parameters. Thin-walled metallic tubes are used in vehicle structures to absorb impact energy, such as in bumper beams. In this research, aluminum alloy AA6063 T6 foam filled tube which both end were clamped, at bottom as boundary condition and at the top of tube applied quasi-static force of load angle of 0o to 30o with respect to longitudinal direction of tubes. The finite element analysis using ABAQUS code was validated according to the relevant experimental data, and the deformation modes of the tubes were studied. Multi-objective optimization design of crush parameters such as minimum peak crushing force and maximum specific energy absorption were performed using particle swarm optimization algorithm. Different optimal designs for different angles of loading and geometries of double circular tubes was identified.
Vaccination History and Risk of Lymphoma and Its Major Subtypes

Background: Vaccinations have been hypothesized to play a role in lymphoma etiology, but there are few studies, mixed results, and limited data on lymphoma subtypes. Herein, we investigate the association of vaccinations with risk of major lymphoma subtypes. Methods: We studied 2,461 lymphoma cases and 2,253 controls enrolled from 2002 to 2014. Participants self-reported history of vaccinations against hepatitis A, hepatitis B, yellow fever, and influenza. Polytomous logistic regression was used to estimate OR and 95% confidence intervals (CI), adjusting for potential confounders. Results: After multivariable adjustment, vaccination against influenza was inversely associated with lymphoma (OR = 0.82; 95% CI, 0.66–1.02), which was stronger for last vaccination 1+ years before enrollment (OR = 0.71; 95% CI, 0.56–0.91) and for >5 influenza vaccinations (OR = 0.56; 95% CI, 0.46–0.68). Ever vaccination against hepatitis A (OR = 0.81; 95% CI, 0.66–1.00) but not hepatitis B (OR = 0.97; 95% CI, 0.81–1.18) was associated with lymphoma risk, although more recent vaccinations were inversely associated with lymphoma risk for both hepatitis A (<6 years before enrollment, OR = 0.56; 95% CI, 0.40–0.77) and hepatitis B (<9 years before enrollment, OR = 0.72; 95% CI, 0.55–0.93). Ever vaccination against yellow fever was inversely associated with risk (OR = 0.73; 95% CI, 0.55–0.96), and this did not vary by time since last vaccination. Although there was no overall statistical evidence for heterogeneity of vaccination history by lymphoma subtype, the only statistically significant inverse associations were observed for influenza and yellow fever vaccinations with diffuse large B-cell and follicular lymphoma. Conclusions: Selected vaccinations were inversely associated with lymphoma risk, with time since last vaccination relevant for some of these vaccines. Impact: Vaccinations against hepatitis A, hepatitis B, yellow fever, and influenza are unlikely to increase lymphoma risk.
Factors affecting health-related quality of life of HIV-infected key population in Myanmar

ABSTRACT This cross-sectional study examined factors affecting Health-related Quality of Life (HRQoL) among 273 HIV-infected key populations. This included, men who have sex with men (MSM), people, who inject drugs (PWID), and sex workers (SW), who were currently receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) in Myanmar. Participants were recruited from four non-government clinics in four main cities. Overall HRQoL score derived from the WHOQOL-HIV BREF questionnaire was 86.08 ± 10.78. The lowest score was found in the environment domain (13.64 ± 2.06), while the highest score was found in the spirituality domain (15.54 ± 3.04). According to the multiple logistic regression analysis, participants, reported having an adequate income (OR = 3.32, P = 0.006), regularly taking meditation (OR = 3.79, P = 0.009), living in Tachileik (OR = 15.43, P = 0.011), and reported having no symptoms during previous 2 weeks (OR = 14.50, P < 0.001), were more likely to have good HRQoL level. In contrast, patients receiving ART < 1 year (OR = 0.163, P = 0.028) reported having low ART adherence (OR = 0.17, P = 0.018) and reported anticipated stigma (OR = 0.23, P < 0.001) and internalized stigma (OR = 0.29, P = 0.006) were less likely to have good HRQoL level.
Use of Pulsating Water Jet Technology for Removal of Concrete in Repair of Concrete Structures

High-speed water jet technology is commonly used for removing degraded concrete surface layers selectively in the process of repair of concrete structures. This technology offers number of advantages (such as reduced noise, dust and vibrations, preservation of intact material and thus more delicate intervention into the structure), but it still requires further improvement in terms of productivity and cost effectiveness to be even more competitive to traditional methods of concrete surface layers removal. The impact of a high-velocity liquid drop or bunch of water on a rigid surface generates extremely short high-pressure transients that can cause substantially serious damage to the surface and interior of the solid material. Therefore, the use of pulsating water jets, that are able to generate repeatedly above mentioned high-pressure transients, can lead to higher performance of pulsating high-speed water jets compared to continuous ones under the same operating conditions. A special method of the generation of the high-speed pulsating water jet was developed recently and tested extensively under laboratory conditions. The method is based on the generation of acoustic waves by the action of the acoustic transducer on the pressure liquid and their transmission via pressure system to the nozzle. A series of laboratory experiments was performed to compare effects of pulsating and continuous jets (both rotating and flat fan) acting on concrete surface. A rate of concrete removal was used to evaluate the jet. Results of the study of effects of pulsating and continuous high-speed water jets on concrete surfaces using methods of optical microscopy and image analysis are also discussed in this paper.
LINC01224 facilitates the proliferation and inhibits the radiosensitivity of melanoma cells through the miR‐193a‐5p/NR1D2 axis

Melanoma is a skin cancer characterized by early metastasis and high mortality. Radiotherapy is a common treatment for melanoma in patients. Long noncoding RNAs play pivotal roles in regulating the radiosensitivity of many tumors, including melanomas. In this study, the role of LINC01224 in the radiosensitivity of melanoma cells was explored. The expression of LINC01224 in melanoma was examined by reverse transcription–quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and the results showed that LINC01224 was upregulated in melanoma tissues and cells. The effects of LINC01224 on cell proliferation and apoptosis in melanoma were assessed by 3‐(4,5‐Dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl)‐2,5‐Diphenyltetrazolium Bromide (MTT), colony formation, and flow cytometry assays. The effects of LINC01224 on the radiosensitivity of melanoma were analyzed by colony formation assay. The results implied that LINC01224 knockdown inhibited cell viability and proliferation but enhanced cell apoptosis and radiosensitivity. Luciferase reporter and RNA pull‐down assays were performed to evaluate the relationships between LINC01224 and miR‐193a‐5p or miR‐193a‐5p and nuclear receptor subfamily 1 group D member 2 (NR1D2). We found that LINC01224 binds to miR‐193a‐5p, which directly targets NR1D2. In addition, we discovered that LINC01224 upregulated NR1D2 expression by sponging miR‐193a‐5p in melanoma cells. Overall, the data collected in this study suggest that LINC01224 exerts oncogenic effects in melanoma via the miR‐193a‐5p/NR1D2 axis.
Pericoronary fat attenuation index in computed tomography angiography is associated with mortality in end-stage renal disease

Background An increased pericoronary fat attenuation index (FAI) on computed tomography angiography (CTA) is associated with increased all-cause and cardiac mortality in the general population. However, the ability of pericoronary FAI to predict long-term outcomes in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients is unknown. Methods In this single-center retrospective longitudinal cohort study, we assessed the utility of CTA-based pericoronary FAI measurement to predict mortality of CKD patients, including those with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Mapping and analysis of pericoronary FAI involved three major proximal coronary arteries. The prognostic value of pericoronary FAI for long-term mortality was assessed with multivariable Cox regression models. Results Among 268 CKD participants who underwent coronary CTA, 209 participants with left anterior descending artery (LAD) FAI measurements were included. The pericoronary FAI measured at the LAD was not significantly associated with adjusted risk of all-cause mortality (hazard ratio [HR], 2.08; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.94–3.51) in any CKD group. However, ESRD patients with elevated pericoronary FAI values had a greater adjusted risk of all-cause mortality compared with the low-FAI group (HR, 2.26; 95% CI, 1.11–4.61). Conclusion The pericoronary FAI measured at the LAD predicted long-term mortality in patients with ESRD, which could provide an opportunity for early primary intervention in ESRD patients.
Polygenic architecture of human neuroanatomical diversity

We analysed the genomic architecture of neuroanatomical diversity using magnetic resonance imaging and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data from >26,000 individuals from the UK Biobank project and 5 other projects that had previously participated in the ENIGMA consortium. Our results confirm the polygenic architecture of neuroanatomical diversity, with SNPs capturing from 40% to 54% of regional brain volume variance. Chromosomal length correlated with the amount of phenotypic variance captured, r∼0.64 on average, suggesting that at a global scale causal variants are homogeneously distributed across the genome. At a local scale, SNPs within genes (∼51%) captured ∼1.5 times more genetic variance than the rest; and SNPs with low minor allele frequency (MAF) captured less variance than the rest: the 40% of SNPs with MAF<5% captured <1/4th of the genetic variance. We also observed extensive pleiotropy across regions, with an average genetic correlation of rG∼0.45. Genetic correlations were similar to phenotypic and environmental correlations, however, genetic correlations were often larger than phenotypic correlations for the left/right volumes of the same region. The heritability of differences in left/right volumes was generally not statistically significant, suggesting an important influence of environmental causes in the variability of brain asymmetry. Our code is available at https://github.com/neuroanatomy/genomic-architecture.
Theoretical Considerations about the Steady State Combustion of Wood Char in a Bubbling Fluidized Bed Reactor

A theoretical study on the performance of steady state bubbling fluidized bed burners is presented using a simple mathematical model. The proposed model has pedagogical and practical advantages due to its simplicity. The calculations, whose results are plotted in several graphics, were based on data obtained in laboratory scale experiments. The experiments were carried out with wood chars and the model allows a proper evaluation of physical and chemical phenomena taking place inside the reactor, as well as a fast approach to the pre-design phase, before going towards more complex and time consuming numerical modeling. In the first part of the paper the steady state modeling is compared with the combustion of successive batches of char particles. Afterwards, the performance of a 1 m diameter bed operating from 700℃ to 800℃ is shown.