Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Enhanced Boykov's graph cuts based segmentation for Cervical Cancer Detection

Introduction: Cervical cancer is considered as the major curse to women society of the world due to their low survival rate. However, the prognosis of cervical cancer at an early stage through periodic screening was identified to enhance the survival probability of the women patients around the world. Objective: In this paper, a Boykov-Kolmogorov Graph Cuts and Cloud Model-based Synergy Integrated Segmentation (BKGC-CMSIS) Technique for facilitating predominant cervical cancer detection from the pap smear images used for prognosis. Methods: This proposed BKGC-CMSIS scheme introduces an effective Boykov-Kolmogorov Graph Cuts-based image partitioning method that estimates the image data through a synergy cloud model for formulating objective functions. The objective function used in this proposed BKGC-CMSIS scheme includes a data item and a smooth term for boundary preservation in order to determine the deviation of each pixel corresponding to the different regions of the cervical pap smear cells. Results: Also, it identifies the data item through the utilization of X-condition cloud generator for determining and defining the accurate boundaries of cytoplasm and nuclei derived from the pap smear cells. This proposed BKGC-CMSIS scheme uses the merits of membership degree through the incorporation of the smooth term for estimating the degree of similarity existing among the neighboring regions of the cervical pap smear cells. Conclusion: The experimental results of this proposed BKGC-CMSIS scheme is also potent in enhancing the classification accuracy by 14% superior to the benchmarked cervical cancer detection schemes considered for investigation.
Reasoning about Recursive antum Programs

ZHAOWEI XU, Institute of Software, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China and Laboratoire de Recherche en Informatique, Université Paris-Saclay, France MINGSHENG YING, Institute of Software, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China, University of Technology Sydney, Australia, and Tsinghua University, China BENOÎT VALIRON, École CentraleSupélec, France and Laboratoire de Recherche en Informatique, Université Paris-Saclay, France
Predictors of Weight Bias in Exercise Science Students and Fitness Professionals: A Scoping Review

Background Although previous studies have reported weight bias among students and professionals in exercise science, physical education, kinesiology, and fitness instruction, predictors of weight bias in these professions have not been extensively reviewed. Aim The purpose of this scoping review was to explore the available literature on predictors of weight bias in exercise science students and fitness professionals to identify key concepts and research gaps. Methods PubMed and ERIC were searched from January 1990 to May 2019. Eighteen studies were included in this review. A thematic analysis was conducted. Findings. Six main themes were drawn from these studies including beliefs in the personal controllability of weight; sex differences; enrollment in a health sciences-related program; psychosocial and personal factors; knowledge of obesity; lack of personal history, family, or friend with obesity. Our scoping review highlighted diverse predictors of weight bias among exercise science students and professionals that warrant further study and intervention.
Effectiveness and Safety of Chinese Medicine Decoctions for Behcet's Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background Behcet's disease (BD) is an autoimmune disease of systemic vasculitis with an unclear pathogenesis. Although western medicines remain the mainstay interventions, effectiveness and safety are significant challenges. Complementary and alternative medicine, including herbal medicine, are gaining more attention. Chinese medicine decoctions, which have been used for centuries, are the most common form of traditional therapies. Objective The purpose of the review was to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of Chinese medicine decoctions in the treatment of BD. Methods Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) for BD treatment with Chinese medicine decoctions were searched in six electronic databases until March 2021. Primary outcomes were total effective rate, recovery rate, and recurrence rate. Secondary outcomes were clinical feature scores (oral ulcers, eye lesions, genital ulcers, skin lesions, arthropathies, fever, and pathergy reactions) and laboratory index levels (erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, and immunoglobulin A). The risk of bias was assessed with the Cochrane Handbook, and a meta-analysis was performed with RevMan 5.4. 1. Results Sixteen RCTs with 924 patients were included in the review. The meta-analysis indicated that Chinese medicine decoctions were effective for BD when compared with control groups for all the primary outcomes and 7/10 of the secondary outcomes. Adverse events were reported in 11 of the 16 RCTs, with the Chinese medicine decoctions possibly having fewer adverse events than western drugs. This review included a range of classical prescriptions. An additional meta-analysis of modified Gancao Xiexin Decoction for BD treatment was conducted. Gancao Xiexin decoction is also discussed as a representative prescription, as well as high-frequency herbs, and warrants further exploration for individualized medicine and pharmacology. Conclusion Chinese medicine decoctions have the potential to be effective and safe for treating BD. However, additional well-designed RCTs are needed to confirm the findings because of the unsatisfactory quality of the included studies.
A Study on Fucosyltransferase 2 Gene Polymorphism and Secretion Status Related to Neonatal Necrotizing Enterocolitis

Objective To detect the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of alpha-(1,2) fucosyltransferase 2 gene (FUT2) and the secretion status in the newborns of Chongqing China and explore the relationship between genotype or phenotype of FUT2 and neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). Methods Newborns who were hospitalized in Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University from August 2014 to December 2015 and in line with the inclusion criteria were chosen as the research subjects; 34 cases of them in accordance with the diagnostic criteria of NEC stage II or III were NEC group, and 36 other cases of them were the control group. Total DNA was extracted from oral epithelial cells of patients which were collected with cotton buds. FUT2 SNP genotype was detected by gene sequencing. H antigen was detected with saliva samples by saliva agglutination inhibition test. Related clinical data were collected for analysis. Results There are three genotypes on the rs1047781 (A385T) allele of the FUT2 encoding sequence: AA, AT, and TT. The number of genotypes AA, AT, and TT in the NEC group was 9 (26.47%), 12 (35.29%), and 13 (38.24%), respectively. In the control group, the number of genotypes AA, AT, and TT was 12 (33.33%), 17 (47.23%), and 7 (19.44%). There were no differences in genotypes between the two groups according to the chi-square test (P > 0.05). There were 22 cases of secretors (64.7%) and 12 cases of nonsecretors (35.3%) in the NEC group. The number of secretors and nonsecretors in the control group was 31 (88.89%) and 5 (11.11%). Statistical difference was found in the phenotype between two groups through the chi-square test (P < 0.05). In addition, no G428A homozygous mutation, which causes nonsecretor phenotype in Caucasians, was seen in all the subjects of this study. Conclusions These findings indicate that secretion status (nonsecretor) was significantly associated with NEC in Chongqing, China.
The Conditioned Medium of Lactobacillus rhamnoides GG Regulates Microglia/Macrophage Polarization and Improves Functional Recovery after Spinal Cord Injury in Rats

Lactobacillus rhamnoides, a human intestinal colonizer, can act through various pathways to induce microglia/macrophages to produce cytokines and to polarize microglia/macrophages to different phenotypes to reduce the inflammatory response. In this article, we evaluated the treatment potential of the Lactobacillus rhamnoides GG conditioned medium (LGG-CM) in rat model with SCI (acute spinal cord injury), including functional, neurophysiological, and histological outcomes and the underlying neuroprotective mechanisms. In our experiment, LGG-CM (30 mg/kg) was injected directly into the injury site in rats immediately after SCI. Measured by the BBB scale (Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan locomotor rating scale) and inclined plane test, rats in the LGG-CM-treated group showed better locomotor scores. Moreover, compared to the vehicle treatment group, LGG-CM increased the mRNA level of the M2 marker (CD206), and decreased that of the M1 marker (iNOS). Western blot assays showed that LGG-CM-treated SCI rats had a higher grayscale ratio of p65 and a lower ratio of p-IκBα/IκBα. Our study shows that local injection of LGG-CM after acute SCI can inhibit inflammatory responses and improve motor function recovery. These effects may be related with the inhibition to the NF-κB (The nuclear factor-kappa B) signal pathway which leads to M2 microglia/macrophage polarization.
Flow Cytometry Detection of Sperm DNA Fragmentation and Apoptotic Markers in the Semen of Infertile Males

The effect of sperm molecular defects on fertilization and pregnancy outcome after assisted reproductive therapy (ART) is widely documented by both research and clinical societies. Sperm DNA fragmentation and abnormal chromatin condensation represent critical causes of male infertility. Advanced androgenic techniques for accurately identifying molecular defects help in selecting an appropriate treatment strategy. Additionally, specific markers of apoptosis are increasingly important in predicting male infertility. The ability of flow cytometry to estimate the quantity of sperm with DNA fragmentation or damage and multifactor measurements in immotile sperm have made this developed technique essential in fertility centers. The study is aimed at assessing the level of DNA fragmentation and apoptosis by measuring flow cytometry using new techniques. Flow cytometry analysis revealed a varying degree of DNA damage. It was able to quantify the degree of impairment even in samples with minimal DNA fragmentation. DNA damage was observed even in samples that were considered normal with a routine semen analysis. Flow cytometry was sensitive to changes in sperm apoptosis. Elevated p53 activity levels were associated with high DNA fragmentation. Meanwhile, B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) activities showed a different pattern. In conclusion, flow cytometry for sperm DNA fragmentation and markers of apoptosis can be a valuable tool in assisted reproductive centers.
Scolymus hispanicus (Golden Thistle) Ameliorates Hepatic Steatosis and Metabolic Syndrome by Reducing Lipid Accumulation, Oxidative Stress, and Inflammation in Rats under Hyperfatty Diet

Background Lipotoxicity is characterized by a metabolic disturbance leading to the development of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Some medicinal plant extracts exert hepatoprotective activity by modulating oxidative stress, inflammation, and metabolic disorders. Scolymus hispanicus or the golden thistle can be considered an important natural source of antioxidants. In traditional medicine, the consumption of this plant is recommended for diseases of the liver and intestines. Objective In this study, we aimed to determine the effects of Scolymus hispanicus on a hyperfatty diet- (HFD-) induced metabolic disorders, oxidative stress, and inflammation. Materials and Methods Our experiment focused on the administration of an HFD (40%) in Rattus norvegicus for 2 months and treatment with the aqueous extract of Scolymus hispanicus at a rate of 100 mg/kg during the last eight days of experimentation. In this context, several aspects were studied: the evaluation of blood biochemical parameters, liver function such as lipids and glycogen, markers of oxidative stress (TBARS, carbonyl proteins, advanced oxidation proteins, catalase, and SOD) and inflammation (NO and NFkB), morphological study of hepatocytes in primary culture, and histological study of the liver. Results Lipotoxicity induced metabolic disorders, both serum and tissue. HFD induced an increase in the total lipids and a decrease in glycogen reserve and an alteration in the oxidant-antioxidant balance. HFD induced an increase in markers of liver damage, which resulted in NAFLD, confirmed by histological study and hepatocytes cell culture. Scolymus appears to have lipid-lowering, hypoglycemic, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. It improved glucose tolerance and the condition of fatty liver disease. Conclusion Golden thistle improves glucose tolerance and hyperlipidemia and ameliorates hepatic steatosis by reducing oxidative stress, inflammation, and lipid accumulation. Its incorporation into a dietary program or as an aliment supplement would prevent hepatic complications associated with an HFD.
Multi-omic profiling of plasma reveals molecular alterations in children with COVID-19

Rationale: Children usually develop less severe symptoms responding to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) than adults. However, little is known about the molecular alterations and pathogenesis of COVID-19 in children. Methods: We conducted plasma proteomic and metabolomic profilings of the blood samples of a cohort containing 18 COVID-19-children with mild symptoms and 12 healthy children, which were enrolled from hospital admissions and outpatients, respectively. Statistical analyses were performed to identify molecules specifically altered in COVID-19-children. We also developed a machine learning-based pipeline named inference of biomolecular combinations with minimal bias (iBM) to prioritize proteins and metabolites strongly altered in COVID-19-children, and experimentally validated the predictions. Results: By comparing to the multi-omic data in adults, we identified 44 proteins and 249 metabolites differentially altered in COVID-19-children against healthy children or COVID-19-adults. Further analyses demonstrated that both deteriorative immune response/inflammation processes and protective antioxidant or anti-inflammatory processes were markedly induced in COVID-19-children. Using iBM, we prioritized two combinations that contained 5 proteins and 5 metabolites, respectively, each exhibiting a total area under curve (AUC) value of 100% to accurately distinguish COVID-19-children from healthy children or COVID-19-adults. Further experiments validated that all the 5 proteins were up-regulated upon coronavirus infection. Interestingly, we found that the prioritized metabolites inhibited the expression of pro-inflammatory factors, and two of them, methylmalonic acid (MMA) and mannitol, also suppressed coronaviral replication, implying a protective role of these metabolites in COVID-19-children. Conclusion: The finding of a strong antagonism of deteriorative and protective effects provided new insights on the mechanism and pathogenesis of COVID-19 in children that mostly underwent mild symptoms. The identified metabolites strongly altered in COVID-19-children could serve as potential therapeutic agents of COVID-19.
Targeting the EZH2-PPAR Axis Is a Potential Therapeutic Pathway for Pancreatic Cancer

Enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) is abnormally highly expressed in pancreatic cancer (PC). However, it is not ideal to treat PC by inhibiting EZH2. This study reported that the combined use of pan-peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) agonist could significantly improve the anti-PC effect of EZH2 inhibitor. In vitro, PC cell lines PANC-1 and AsPC-1 were cultured, and MTT and flow cytometry were performed to observe the effects of pan-PPAR agonist bezafibrate and EZH2 selective inhibitor GSK126 on cell viability and apoptosis. In vivo, CDXs of PANC-1 and AsPC-1 were established to observe the effects of bezafibrate and GSK126 on bearing tumors. Western blotting was performed to detect the protein expressions of H3K27me3, β-catenin, p-β-catenin, cyclin D1, c-Myc, and cleaved caspase 3 in vitro and in vivo. The results showed that bezafibrate significantly improved the effects of GSK126 on proliferation inhibition and apoptosis promotion in vitro and the growth suppression of CDX tumors in vivo. It also significantly enhanced the effects of GSK126 on upregulating the expression level of p-β-catenin and that of cleaved caspase 3 in vitro and in vivo. In parallel, downregulation of the expression levels of H3K27me3, β-catenin, cyclin D1, and c-Myc was also observed in vitro or in vivo. These results suggest that the combination of bezafibrate and GSK126 has synergistic effects on PC, and the molecular mechanism may be related to the enhanced inhibition of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. We believe that targeting the EZH2-PPAR axis is a potential therapeutic pathway for PC.
An Analysis of Degree of Competition in Banking Sector of Pakistan through a Direct Measure of Market Contestability

This paper measures the degree of competition in the banking sector of Pakistan by using structural approach developed by Panzar and Rosse (PR) in context of market contestability. A reduced form revenue equation is estimated by using panel data of 26 banks. The sample period is from 1997 to 2007. Various tests on PR-H Statistics suggest that banking sector of Pakistan, as a whole, is consistent with a monopolistically competitive market structure. Failure to reject the null of long-run equilibrium of the banking sector, a key assumption of PR-H Statistic, lends more credence to the finding of underlying degree of competition
Characteristics Associated with Early Worsening of Retinopathy in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Diagnosed with Retinopathy at Their First Visit: A Retrospective Observational Study

Materials and Methods Our study design was a retrospective observational study. Subjects with type 2 diabetes diagnosed with either simple or preproliferative diabetic retinopathy by ophthalmologists at their first visit and followed up for 6–18 months thereafter were included and divided into worsening and nonworsening groups. Thereafter, baseline characteristics and changes in HbA1c and therapy over a year were investigated. Results Among the 88 subjects with simple diabetic retinopathy, 16% improved to no retinopathy, 65% retained their simple diabetic retinopathy, 18% worsened to preproliferative diabetic retinopathy, and 1% worsened to proliferative diabetic retinopathy. Among the 47 subjects with preproliferative diabetic retinopathy, 9% improved to simple diabetic retinopathy, 72% retained their preproliferative diabetic retinopathy, and 19% worsened to proliferative diabetic retinopathy. Patients with simple diabetic retinopathy had an odds ratio of 1.44 for worsening retinopathy with a 1% increase in baseline HbA1c. Meanwhile, the odds ratios for worsening retinopathy with a 1% decrease in HbA1c from baseline at 3, 6, and 12 months were 1.34, 1.31, and 1.38, respectively. Among patients with simple diabetic retinopathy, significantly more new interventions were introduced in the worsening group than in the nonworsening group. Conclusions Increased baseline HbA1c, a substantial decrease in HbA1c, and intensified therapy were identified as risk factors for early worsening of diabetic retinopathy in patients with simple diabetic retinopathy at the first visit. Patients should therefore be intimately followed for retinopathy after their first visit.
Integrative Functional Genomic Analysis of Molecular Signatures and Mechanistic Pathways in the Cell Cycle Underlying Alzheimer's Disease

Objective Alzheimer's disease (AD) is associated with cell cycle reentry of mature neurons that subsequently undergo degeneration. This study is aimed to identify key regulators of the cell cycle and their underlying pathways for developing optimal treatment of AD. Methods RNA sequencing data were profiled to screen for differentially expressed genes in the cell cycle. Correlation of created modules with AD phenotype was computed by weight gene correlation network analysis (WGCNA). Signature genes for trophic factor receptors were determined using Pearson correlation coefficient (PCC) analysis. Results Among the 13,679 background genes, 775 cell cycle genes and 77 trophic factor receptors were differentially expressed in AD versus nondementia controls. Four coexpression modules were constructed by WGCNA, among which the turquoise module had the strongest correlation with AD. According to PCC analysis, 10 signature trophic receptors most strongly interacting with cell cycle genes were filtered and subsequently displayed in the global regulatory network. Further cross-talking pathways of signature receptors, such as glutamatergic synapse, long-term potentiation, PI3K-Akt, and MAPK signaling pathways, were identified. Conclusions Our findings highlighted the mechanistic pathways of signature trophic receptors in cell cycle perturbation underlying AD pathogenesis, thereby providing new molecular targets for therapeutic intervention in AD.
Mineral Content, Chemical Analysis, In Vitro Antidiabetic and Antioxidant Activities, and Antibacterial Power of Aqueous and Organic Extracts of Moroccan Leopoldia comosa (L.) Parl. Bulbs

Medicinal plants are a rich source of bioactive phytochemicals or bionutrients. Studies carried out during the past few decades have shown that these phytochemicals play an important role in preventing metabolic diseases such as cancer and diabetes. The present study was dedicated to the analysis of mineral and chemical composition and evaluation of antidiabetic, antioxidant, and antibacterial properties of aqueous and organic extracts of Leopoldia comosa, a plant with a long history of therapeutic and food use. Mineral content was determined using inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy. Chemical composition was carried out by extraction of essential oils, preparation of aqueous and organic extracts, and qualitative and quantitative analysis. The biological study consisted of the evaluation of antidiabetic activity by inhibition of three enzymes, antioxidant activity by five tests, and antibacterial activity by the disc diffusion method. The correlation between chemical composition and antidiabetic and antioxidant properties was explored by PCA. The results showed that L. comosa contains high levels of Fe, K, P, Na, Cu, Mg, and Ca with values, respectively, in the order of 33552, 1843.14, 756.36, 439.65, 303.9, 272.37, and 20.55 mg/kg. Quantitative analysis showed that the diethyl ether extract had the highest content of polyphenols (129.75 ± 0.29 µg GAE/mg E), flavonoids (988.26 ± 0.18 µg QE/mg E), and tannins (30.22 ± 0.15 µg CE/mg E). All extracts of L. comosa possess inhibitory activity of alpha-amylase, alpha-glucosidase, and beta-galactosidase enzymes, mainly the decocted and the acetone extract. The antioxidant results showed that organic extracts are more active than aqueous extracts especially diethyl ether extract which was similarly found to have an antibacterial effect on Listeria innocua and Proteus mirabilis. PCA allowed us to deduce that phenolic compounds, flavonoids, and tannins are strongly correlated with antioxidant and antidiabetic activity. L. comosa may have potential remedy in the prevention of metabolic disease.