Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Dorsal Root Ganglia Volume—Normative Values, Correlation with Demographic Determinants and Reliability of Three Different Methods of Volumetry

Background: Dorsal root ganglia (DRG) volume assessment by MR-Neurography (MRN) has evolved to an important imaging marker in the diagnostic workup of various peripheral neuropathies and pain syndromes. The aim of this study was (1) to assess normal values of DRG volume and correlations with demographic determinants and (2) to quantify the inter-reader and inter-method reliability of three different methods of DRG volumetry. Methods: Sixty healthy subjects (mean age: 59.1, range 23–79) were examined using a 3D T2-weighted MRN of the lumbosacral plexus at 3 Tesla. Normal values of DRG L3 to S2 were obtained after exact volumetry based on manual 3D segmentation and correlations with demographic variables were assessed. For the assessment of inter-reader and inter-method reliability, DRG volumes in a subset of 25 participants were measured by two independent readers, each applying (1) exact volumetry based on 3D segmentation, (2) axis-corrected, and (3) non-axis-corrected volume estimation. Intraclass correlation coefficients were reported and the Bland–Altman analysis was conducted. Results: Mean DRG volumes ranged from 124.8 mm3 for L3 to 323.3 mm3 for S1 and did not differ between right and left DRG. DRG volume (mean of L3 to S1) correlated with body height (r = 0.42; p = 0.0008) and weight (r = 0.34; p = 0.0087). DRG of men were larger than of women (p = 0.0002); however, no difference remained after correction for body height. Inter-reader reliability was high for all three methods but best for exact volumetry (ICC = 0.99). While axis-corrected estimation was not associated with a relevant bias, non-axis-corrected estimation systematically overestimated DRG volume by on average of 15.55 mm3 (reader 1) or 18.00 mm3 (reader 2) when compared with exact volumetry. Conclusion: The here presented normal values of lumbosacral DRG volume and the correlations with height and weight may be considered in future disease specific studies and possible clinical applications. Exact volumetry was most reliable and should be considered the gold standard. However, the reliability of axis-corrected and non-axis-corrected volume estimation was also high and might still be sufficient, depending on the degree of the required measurement accuracy.
Drosophila MESR4 Gene Ensures Germline Stem Cell Differentiation by Promoting the Transcription of bag of marbles

Ovarian germline stem cells (GSCs) of Drosophila melanogaster provide a valuable in vivo model to investigate how the adult stem cell identity is maintained and the differentiation of the daughter cells is regulated. GSCs are embedded into a specialized cellular microenvironment, the so-called stem cell niche. Besides the complex signaling interactions between the germ cells and the niche cells, the germ cell intrinsic mechanisms, such as chromatin regulation and transcriptional control, are also crucial in the decision about self-renewal and differentiation. The key differentiation regulator gene is the bag of marbles (bam), which is transcriptionally repressed in the GSCs and de-repressed in the differentiating daughter cell. Here, we show that the transcription factor MESR4 functions in the germline to promote GSC daughter differentiation. We find that the loss of MESR4 results in the accumulation of GSC daughter cells which fail to transit from the pre-cystoblast (pre-CB) to the differentiated cystoblast (CB) stage. The forced expression of bam can rescue this differentiation defect. By a series of epistasis experiments and a transcriptional analysis, we demonstrate that MESR4 positively regulates the transcription of bam. Our results suggest that lack of repression alone is not sufficient, but MESR4-mediated transcriptional activation is also required for bam expression.
GECO-MT: The Ghent Eye-tracking Corpus of Machine Translation

In the present paper, we describe a large corpus of eye movement data, collected during natural reading of a human translation and a machine translation of a full novel. This data set, called GECO-MT (Ghent Eye tracking Corpus of Machine Translation) expands upon an earlier corpus called GECO (Ghent Eye-tracking Corpus) by Cop et al. (2017). The eye movement data in GECO-MT will be used in future research to investigate the effect of machine translation on the reading process and the effects of various error types on reading. In this article, we describe in detail the materials and data collection procedure of GECO-MT. Extensive information on the language proficiency of our participants is given, as well as a comparison with the participants of the original GECO. We investigate the distribution of a selection of important eye movement variables and explore the possibilities for future analyses of the data. GECO-MT is freely available at https://www.lt3. ugent.be/resources/geco-mt.
Establishment and Validation for Predicting the Lymph Node Metastasis in Early Gastric Adenocarcinoma

Lymph node metastasis (LNM) is considered to be one of the important factors in determining the optimal treatment for early gastric cancer (EGC). This study aimed to develop and validate a nomogram to predict LNM in patients with EGC. A total of 842 cases from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database were divided into training and testing sets with a ratio of 6 : 4 for model development. Clinical data (494 patients) from the hospital were used for external validation. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to identify the predictors using the training set. Logistic regression, LASSO regression, ridge regression, and elastic-net regression methods were used to construct the model. The performance of the model was quantified by calculating the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results showed that T stage, tumor size, and tumor grade were independent predictors of LNM in EGC patients. The AUC of the logistic regression model was 0.766 (95% CI, 0.709–0.823), which was slightly higher than that of the other models. However, the AUC of the logistic regression model in external validation was 0.625 (95% CI, 0.537–0.678). A nomogram was drawn to predict LNM in EGC patients based on the logistic regression model. Further validation based on gender, age, and grade indicated that the logistic regression predictive model had good adaptability to the population with grade III tumors, with an AUC of 0.803 (95% CI, 0.606–0.999). Our nomogram showed a good predictive ability and may provide a tool for clinicians to predict LNM in EGC patients.
Contribution of Memory Tests to Early Identification of Conversion from Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment to Dementia

Background: Memory tests using controlled encoding and cued recall paradigm (CECR) have been shown to identify prodromal Alzheimer’s disease (AD), but information about the effectiveness of CECR compared to other memory tests in predicting clinical progression is missing. Objective: The aim was to examine the predictive ability of a memory test based on the CECR paradigm in comparison to other memory/non-memory tests for conversion to dementia in patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI). Methods: 270 aMCI patients from the clinical-based Czech Brain Aging Study underwent a comprehensive neuropsychological assessment including the Enhanced Cued Recall test (ECR), a memory test with CECR, two verbal memory tests without controlled encoding: the Auditory Verbal Learning Test (AVLT) and Logical memory test (LM), a visuospatial memory test: the Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure test, and cognitive testing based on the Uniform Data Set battery. The patients were followed prospectively. Conversion to dementia as a function of cognitive performance was examined using Cox proportional hazard models. Results: 144 (53%) patients converted to dementia. Most converters (89%) developed dementia due to AD or mixed (AD and vascular) dementia. Comparing the four memory tests, the delayed recall scores on AVLT and LM best predicted conversion to dementia. Adjusted hazard ratios (HR) of immediate recall scores on ECR, AVLT, and LM were similar to the HR of categorical verbal fluency. Conclusion: Using the CECR memory paradigm in assessment of aMCI patients has no superiority over verbal and non-verbal memory tests without cued recall in predicting conversion to dementia.
Approaches to Preceramic Polymer Fiber Fabrication and On-Demand Applications

The demand for lightweight, high-modulus, and temperature-resistant materials for aerospace and other high-temperature applications has contributed to the development of ceramic fibers that exhibit most of the favorable properties of monolithic ceramics. This review demonstrates preceramic-based polymer fiber spinning and fiber classifications. We discuss different types of fiber spinning and the advantages of each. Tuning the preceramic polymer chemical properties, molar mass, functional chemistry influences, and incorporation with fillers are thoroughly investigated. Further, we present the applications of preceramic-based polymer fibers in different fields including aerospace, biomedical, and sensor applications. This concise review summarizes recent developments in preceramic fiber chemistry and essential applications.
A Tapered Cuff Tracheal Tube Decreases the Need for Cuff Pressure Adjustment After Surgical Retraction During Anterior Cervical Spine Surgery: A Randomized Controlled, Double-Blind Trial

Background Surgical retraction to expose the vertebrae during anterior cervical spine surgery increases tracheal tube cuff pressure and may worsen postoperative sore throat and dysphonia. This randomized double-blind study investigated the effect of cuff shape on intraoperative cuff pressure and postoperative sore throat and dysphonia. Methods Eighty patients were randomized to tracheal intubation with a tapered cuff or a conventional cylindrical high-volume low-pressure cuff (control) during anesthesia. Intraoperative cuff pressures were compared. The primary outcome was the incidence of pressure adjustment needed when the cuff pressure increased to > 25 mm Hg after surgical retraction. The secondary outcome was the incidence of postoperative sore throat and dysphonia. Results The incidence of pressure adjustment after surgical retraction was significantly lower in the tapered group than in the control group (13% vs. 48%; P = 0.001; relative risk reduction, 74%). The median [interquartile range (IQR)] cuff pressure (mm Hg) was significantly lower for the tapered cuff than for the control cuff before surgical retraction [9 (7–12) vs. 12 (10–15); P < 0.001] and after retraction [18 (15–23) vs. 25 (18–31); P = 0.007]. The median (IQR) postoperative dysphonia score assessed by a single speech-language pathologist was lower in the tapered group than in the control group [4 (3–6) vs. 5.5 (5–7); P = 0.008]. Conclusion A tapered cuff tracheal tube decreased the need for the adjustment of cuff pressure after surgical retraction during anterior cervical spine surgery, thereby avoiding intraoperative pressure increase. It also has a better outcome in terms of dysphonia. Clinical Trial Registration [www.clinicaltrials. gov], identifier [NCT04591769].
Investigating the Antimicrobial Activity of Vancomycin-Loaded Soy Protein Nanoparticles

Developing targeted and slow-release antibiotic delivery systems can effectively reduce drug overdose and side effects. This study aimed to investigate the antimicrobial activity of vancomycin-loaded soy protein nanoparticles (vancomycin-SPNs). For the preparation of SPNs, the desolvation method was applied in different concentrations of vancomycin and soy protein (15:5, 10:15, 6:20, 8:25, and 10:30 of vancomycin:soy protein). Scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and FTIR were used for nanoparticle characterization. Antibacterial activity was evaluated by the radial diffusion assay (RDA) and absorbance methods. Proper synthesis was demonstrated by characterization. The best drug loading (% entrapment efficiency = 90.2%), the fastest release rate (% release = 88.2%), and the best antibacterial activity were observed in ratio 10:30 of vancomycin:SPNs. Results showed that SPNs are a potent delivery system for antibiotic loading and slow release to control antibiotic use.
Phylogenomic Coalescent Analyses of Avian Retroelements Infer Zero-Length Branches at the Base of Neoaves, Emergent Support for Controversial Clades, and Ancient Introgressive Hybridization in Afroaves

Retroelement insertions (RIs) are low-homoplasy characters that are ideal data for addressing deep evolutionary radiations, where gene tree reconstruction errors can severely hinder phylogenetic inference with DNA and protein sequence data. Phylogenomic studies of Neoaves, a large clade of birds (>9000 species) that first diversified near the Cretaceous–Paleogene boundary, have yielded an array of robustly supported, contradictory relationships among deep lineages. Here, we reanalyzed a large RI matrix for birds using recently proposed quartet-based coalescent methods that enable inference of large species trees including branch lengths in coalescent units, clade-support, statistical tests for gene flow, and combined analysis with DNA-sequence-based gene trees. Genome-scale coalescent analyses revealed extremely short branches at the base of Neoaves, meager branch support, and limited congruence with previous work at the most challenging nodes. Despite widespread topological conflicts with DNA-sequence-based trees, combined analyses of RIs with thousands of gene trees show emergent support for multiple higher-level clades (Columbea, Passerea, Columbimorphae, Otidimorphae, Phaethoquornithes). RIs express asymmetrical support for deep relationships within the subclade Afroaves that hints at ancient gene flow involving the owl lineage (Strigiformes). Because DNA-sequence data are challenged by gene tree-reconstruction error, analysis of RIs represents one approach for improving gene tree-based methods when divergences are deep, internodes are short, terminal branches are long, and introgressive hybridization further confounds species–tree inference.
Mycobacterioses Induced by Mycobacterium abscessus: Case Studies Indicating the Importance of Molecular Analysis for the Identification of Antibiotic Resistance

Mycobacterioses are less frequently occurring but serious diseases. In recent years, at a global level, the incidence of mycobacterioses induced by the rapidly growing species Mycobacterium abscessus (M. a.), which is considered to be the most resistant to antibiotics and most difficult to treat, has been on the rise. Correct identification to the level of the subspecies (M. a. abscessus, M. a. massiliense, and M. a. bolletii) and determination of its sensitivity to macrolides, which are the basis of combination therapy, are of principal importance for the management of the disease. We describe five cases of mycobacterioses caused by M. a. , where the sequencing of select genes was performed to identify the individual subspecies and antibiotic resistance. The analysis of the rpoB gene showed two isolates each of M. a. abscessus and M. a. massiliense and one isolate of M. a. bolletii. The complete (full length) erm(41) gene responsible for the development of inducible resistance to macrolides was demonstrated in both M. a. abscessus and M. a. bolletii isolates. A partially deleted and non-functional erm(41) gene was demonstrated in M. a. massiliense isolates. The subsequent sequencing of the full length erm(41) gene products showed, however, the mutation (T28→C) in both isolates of M. a. abscessus, causing a loss of the function and preserved sensitivity to macrolides. The antibiotic sensitivity testing confirmed that both the isolates of M. a. abscessus and M. a. massiliense were sensitive to clarithromycin even after prolonged 14-day incubation. The inducible resistance to clarithromycin was maintained only in M. a. bolletii. Thus, the sequence analysis of the erm(41) gene can reliably identify the preservation of sensitivity to macrolides and serve as an important tool in the establishment of therapeutic regimens in cases of infections with M. abscessus.
The Ottawa Score Performs Poorly to Identify Cancer Patients at High Risk of Recurrent Venous Thromboembolism: Insights from the TROPIQUE Study and Updated Meta-Analysis

The Ottawa score (OS) for predicting the risk of recurrent venous thromboembolism (VTE) in cancer patients with VTE may help to guide anticoagulant treatment decisions that will optimize benefit-risk ratios. However, data on its reliability are conflicting. We applied the OS to all cancer patients with VTE enrolled in the prospective multicenter TROPIQUE study who received low-molecular-weight heparin over a 6-month period. Of 409 patients, 171 (41.8%) had a high-risk OS. The 6-month cumulative incidence of recurrent VTE was 7.8% (95%CI 4.2–14.8) in the high-risk OS group versus 4.8% (95%CI 2.6–8.9) in the low-risk OS group (SHR 1.47; 95%CI 0.24–8.55). The Area Under the Receiver Operating Characteristic curve (AUROC) of the OS in identifying patients who developed recurrent VTE was 0.53 (95%CI 0.38–0.65), and its accuracy was 57.9%. Among individual variables included in the OS, only prior VTE was significantly associated with the 6-month risk of recurrent VTE (SHR 4.39; 95% CI 1.13–17.04). When pooling data from all studies evaluating this score for predicting VTE recurrence in cancer patients (7 studies, 3413 patients), the OS estimated pooled AUROC was 0.59 (95%CI 0.56–0.62), and its accuracy was 55.7%. The present findings do not support the use of the OS to assess the risk of recurrent VTE in cancer patients.
Fabrication of Dimensional and Structural Controlled Open Pore, Mesoporous Silica Topographies on a Substrate

Open pore mesoporous silica (MPS) thin films and channels were prepared on a substrate surface. The pore dimension, thickness and ordering of the MPS thin films were controlled by using different concentrations of the precursor and molecular weight of the pluronics. Spectroscopic and microscopic techniques were utilized to determine the alignment and ordering of the pores. Further, MPS channels on a substrate surface were fabricated using commercial available lithographic etch masks followed by an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) etch. Attempts were made to shrink the channel dimension by using a block copolymer (BCP) hard mask methodology. In this regard, polystyrene-b-poly(ethylene oxide) (PS-b-PEO) block copolymer (BCP) thin film forming perpendicularly oriented PEO cylinders in a PS matrix after microphase separation through solvent annealing was used as a structural template. An insitu hard mask methodology was applied which selectively incorporate the metal ions into the PEO microdomains followed by UV/Ozone treatment to generate the iron oxide hard mask nanopatterns. The aspect ratio of the MPS nanochannels can be varied by altering etching time without altering their shape. The MPS nanochannels exhibited good coverage across the entire substrate and allowed direct access to the pore structures.
Galactic propagation of cosmic rays

The widely used steady-state, rotational symmetric models (2D models) of cosmic ray (CR) propagation, assume smeared-out sources, which do not necessarily result in the same local CR flux as the real local point sources. This suggests that the 2D models may not be adequate to describe the CR primary component originating from point-like CR sources. By means of 3D time-dependent calculations, it has been shown that the secondary CR component is not affected by local point-like sources. When working with 2D models, concentrating on secondary, tertiary and higher CR nuclei may thus yield a better description of galactic CR propagation, as the flux of these nuclei does not depend on the local source history. Taking advantage of this fact and looking at CR primaries and secondaries separately, evidence of nearby CR point sources might be found with a 2D code. Conducting a parameter study, this should be seen in the different best fit values for CR primaries and secondaries. The 2D version of the GALPROP code was adapted to a compute-cluster environment using the MPI framework and used to perform parameter studies comparing CR spectra with mainly primary and secondary CR data separately. The force field approximation was implemented to account for heliospheric modulation. At Earth the approximation is valid, as only nuclei are studied and time-dependence is not considered, thus the disadvantages of the force field are largely avoided. Using the GALPROP code to model CR propagation through the Galaxy, three of the parameters in the 2D plain diffusion model were varied in the parameter study: the source spectral index (α), the spectral index of the diffusion coefficient (δ) and the magnitude of the diffusion coefficient at particle rigidity 4 GV (K0). The LIS produced by the models were compared to experimental CR data by means of a χ2 test. For each set of data from different experiments, the LIS was inferred using the force field approximation and the individual CR species were divided up into three groups according to the fraction of secondary and primary nuclei in each. The parameter values for the best fit models were found to differ between these Primary, Mixed and Secondary CR component groups. The secondary CRs were found to be more easily fit to data than the Primary component or the Mixed component group, implying that the 2D GALPROP model as used is indeed better suited for CR secondaries than for primaries. The results, together with the manner in which the 2D model handles CR sources, imply that there maybe local point sources of CRs that, so far, are not being taken into account.
Lactate dehydrogenase and C-reactive protein as predictors of severity and prognosis in corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Iraqi patients

The Objective of the Study:-To estimate whether the initial C-reactive protein (CRP) and Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels are able to act as markers of severity and prognosis in COVID-19 adult patients. Patients and Method: This cross sectional study was conducted in the Marjan medical teaching city during the period from January 2021 to augest2021. 100 Patients who complained from fever or chest symptoms were enrolled after laboratory confirmation of COVID19 via RT-PCR. Chest computed tomography scan(CT) was then performed to classify the patients into mild, moderate and severe, critical pneumonia groups according to world health organization(WHO)classification, initial plasma CRP level and LDH level were measured for all patients. Follow up and documentation were done for all patients. A thoracic radiologist interprets chest CT scan and produces a structured report. An informed written consent was obtained from each participant. Results: Cross sectional study of 100 cases with COVID 19 infection, mean age of patients (51.6 ± 15.5) years.51%are females and 49% are male, (79%) of patients admitted to hospital and then get well and discharged,16% died. CRP and LDH increase in complicated patients with COVID 19 infection. Critical cases have high LDH than other types of severity.