Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The complete chloroplast genome of Torreya parvifolia, a species with extremely small population in China

Abstract Torreya parvifolia (Torreya, Taxaceae) is endemic in Sichuan, China. It consisted of an extremely small population with less than 100 wild individuals. In this study, the complete chloroplast genome of T. parvifolia was assembled using the Illumina data. The complete chloroplast genome of T. parvifolia is 137,106 bp in length. The genome consists of 119 genes in total, including 82 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 4 ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes, and 33 transfer RNA (tRNA) genes. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that T. parvifolia was closely related to T. fargesii, T. nucifera, and T. fargesii var. yunnanensis with strong support.
A-DenseUNet: Adaptive Densely Connected UNet for Polyp Segmentation in Colonoscopy Images with Atrous Convolution

Colon carcinoma is one of the leading causes of cancer-related death in both men and women. Automatic colorectal polyp segmentation and detection in colonoscopy videos help endoscopists to identify colorectal disease more easily, making it a promising method to prevent colon cancer. In this study, we developed a fully automated pixel-wise polyp segmentation model named A-DenseUNet. The proposed architecture adapts different datasets, adjusting for the unknown depth of the network by sharing multiscale encoding information to the different levels of the decoder side. We also used multiple dilated convolutions with various atrous rates to observe a large field of view without increasing the computational cost and prevent loss of spatial information, which would cause dimensionality reduction. We utilized an attention mechanism to remove noise and inappropriate information, leading to the comprehensive re-establishment of contextual features. Our experiments demonstrated that the proposed architecture achieved significant segmentation results on public datasets. A-DenseUNet achieved a 90% Dice coefficient score on the Kvasir-SEG dataset and a 91% Dice coefficient score on the CVC-612 dataset, both of which were higher than the scores of other deep learning models such as UNet++, ResUNet, U-Net, PraNet, and ResUNet++ for segmenting polyps in colonoscopy images.
High-Tech Training for Birds of Prey

Simple Summary The stress of confinement and rehabilitation is not the only issue for a rescued wild raptor: After release, it must also deal with the new area of releasement, and hopefully, survive. This can be a true challenge for different reasons, the first of which is how long a bird has been hospitalized. High-tech rehabilitation could enhance the recovery of rescued raptors by maximizing their muscle strength, speed, and/or endurance power. The more varied the training, the more the bird will regain a muscular structure comparable to a healthy and vigorous wild raptor. Moreover, high-tech training could minimize the raptors’ attachment to humans, which may become the main problem for wild bird rescue centers, when the released raptors exhibit habituation to humans as food suppliers. Abstract Raptors are some of the most at-risk groups of birds in the world and saving these top predators is essential for maintaining the health of many ecosystems. After hospitalization, raptors are often released when muscular recovery is still unfitting when they are unable to hunt efficiently and are at risk of dying from starvation within a few days. On the other hand, if a convalescent bird is trained with the only use of classic falconry techniques, it is likely to remain dependent on the caretaker/falconer even long after the release, so unable to hunt independently. To overcome these problems, a new training method was conceived, which could improve raptors’ muscular strength while limiting habituation to humans. This has been possible due to the combination of classic falconry techniques and modern technologies, such as the introduction of specific workouts with drones. Three falconry raptors and one wild Eurasian hobby were trained through high-tech falconry to develop the ability to catch, grasp, and airlift their prey at a different speed, altitude, and resistance. The main findings of this study were: (i) The rapid increase of the raptors’ speed; (ii) the muscular growth and endurance, and (iii) successful reintroduction of a wild bird.
The complete chloroplast genome of Zanthoxylum piasezkii Maxim. (Rutaceae) and its phylogenetic analysis

Abstract Zanthoxylum piasezkii Maxim. is a widely distributed species of edible medicinal plant in China. It has been used for traditional spicy condiment and medicinal ingredients for quite a long time. In this study, the complete chloroplast genome sequence of Z. piasezkii was first reported and characterized from sequencing data. The complete chloroplast genome was determined to be 158,728 bp in length, consisting of a large single-copy (LSC) region (85,918 bp) and a small single copy (SSC) region (17,612 bp), which were separated by a pair of 27,599 bp inverted repeat (IR) regions. The chloroplast genome is predicted to contain 132 genes, including 87 protein-coding genes, 37 tRNA genes, and 8 rRNA genes. The overall GC content of cpDNA is 38.4%. The phylogenetic analysis of 12 complete chloroplast genomes reveals that Z. piasezkii is mostly related to the congeneric Z. bungeanum.
Fracture Load of Metal, Zirconia and Polyetheretherketone Posterior CAD-CAM Milled Fixed Partial Denture Frameworks

The aim of this study was to investigate the load to fracture and fracture pattern of prosthetic frameworks for tooth-supported fixed partial dentures (FPDs) fabricated with different subtractive computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD-CAM) materials. Materials and Methods: Thirty standardized specimens with two abutments were fabricated to receive three-unit posterior FDP frameworks with an intermediate pontic. Specimens were randomly divided into three groups (n = 10 each) according to the material: group 1 (MM)—milled metal; group 2 (L)—zirconia; and group 3 (P)—Polyetheretherketone (PEEK). The specimens were thermo-cycled and subjected to a three-point bending test until fracture using a universal testing machine (cross-head speed: 1 mm/min). Axial compressive loads were applied at the central fossa of the pontics. Data analysis was made using one-way analysis of variance, Tamhane post hoc test, and Weibull statistics (α = 0.05). Results: Significant differences were observed among the groups for the fracture load (p < 0.0001). MM frameworks showed the highest fracture load values. The PEEK group registered higher fracture load values than zirconia samples. The Weibull statistics corroborated these results. The fracture pattern was different among the groups. Conclusions: Milled metal provided the highest fracture load values, followed by PEEK, and zirconia. However, all tested groups demonstrated clinically acceptable fracture load values higher than 1000 N. PEEK might be considered a promising alternative for posterior FPDs.
Psychometric Validation of the EQ-5D-3L in Patients with Nontuberculous Mycobacterial (NTM) Lung Disease Caused by Mycobacterium avium Complex (MAC)

Purpose This analysis evaluated the psychometric properties of the EQ-5D-3L among patients with Mycobacterium avium complex lung disease (MAC-LD). Methods Data from the Phase III CONVERT trial were analyzed. Study measures including the EQ-5D-3L, St. George’s Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ), the 6-minute walk test (6MWT), and percent predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 second (ppFEV1) were collected at baseline, month 3 (M3), month 4 (M4; only 6MWT), and month 6 (M6). Item characteristics and validity were evaluated at baseline. Test–retest reliability was assessed using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) and a weighted kappa statistic among a subgroup of stable patients. Validity was tested by evaluating correlations of the EQ-5D-3L index/visual analogue scale (VAS) scores with SGRQ and 6MWT and comparing mean index/VAS scores across known groups defined using 6MWT and ppFEV1. Responsiveness of the EQ-5D-3L was assessed using 6MWT, SGRQ, ppFEV1, and culture conversion as anchors. Results The index score was subject to ceiling effects, with 32.6% of patients reporting perfect health at baseline. ICCs for the index (0.80) and VAS (0.85) scores and weighted kappas for the domains (0.5–0.72) indicated adequate test–retest reliability. Correlations between the index/VAS scores and related domains of the SGRQ and 6MWT were as hypothesized (0.31–0.62), and the mean index/VAS scores were significantly different between the 6MWT and ppFEV1 known groups (p<0.05), supporting the validity of the EQ-5D-3L. No evidence was found supporting the responsiveness of the EQ-5D-3L to changes in any of the anchors. Conclusion EQ-5D-3L exhibited evidence of validity and reliability but poor responsiveness to clinically meaningful changes in patients with MAC-LD.
Fish Waste: From Problem to Valuable Resource

Following the growth of the global population and the subsequent rapid increase in urbanization and industrialization, the fisheries and aquaculture production has seen a massive increase driven mainly by the development of fishing technologies. Accordingly, a remarkable increase in the amount of fish waste has been produced around the world; it has been estimated that about two-thirds of the total amount of fish is discarded as waste, creating huge economic and environmental concerns. For this reason, the disposal and recycling of these wastes has become a key issue to be resolved. With the growing attention of the circular economy, the exploitation of underused or discarded marine material can represent a sustainable strategy for the realization of a circular bioeconomy, with the production of materials with high added value. In this study, we underline the enormous role that fish waste can have in the socio-economic sector. This review presents the different compounds with high commercial value obtained by fish byproducts, including collagen, enzymes, and bioactive peptides, and lists their possible applications in different fields.
Complementary Feeding Practices and Parental Pressure to Eat among Spanish Infants and Toddlers: A Cross-Sectional Study

The introduction of complementary foods is a crucial stage in the development and determination of infants’ health status in both the short and longer-term. This study describes complementary feeding practices among infants and toddlers in Spain. Also, relationships among sample characteristics (both parents and their child), feeding practices (timing, type of complementary food), and parental pressure to eat were explored. Cognitive interviewing with 18 parents was used to refine the survey questions. Responses from a national random sample of 630 parents, who were responsible for feeding their infants and toddlers aged 3–18 months, were obtained. Solids, often cereals and/or fruits first, were introduced at a median age of five months. Fish and eggs were introduced around the age of nine and ten months. Almost all children were fed with home-prepared foods at least once per week (93%), and in 36% of the cases, salt was added. Interestingly, higher levels of parental pressure to eat were found in female infants, younger parents, parents with a full-time job, the southern regions of Spain, and in infants who were not fed with home-prepared foods. Our insights underline the importance of clear feeding recommendations that can support health care professionals in promoting effective strategies to improve parental feeding practices.
A Glucuronic Acid-Palmitoylethanolamide Conjugate (GLUPEA) Is an Innovative Drug Delivery System and a Potential Bioregulator

Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) is an endogenous anti-inflammatory lipid mediator and a widely used nutraceutical. In this study, we designed, realized, and tested a drug-carrier conjugate between PEA (the active drug) and glucuronic acid (the carrier). The conjugate, named GLUPEA, was characterized for its capability of increasing PEA levels and exerting anti-inflammatory activity both in vitro and in vivo. GLUPEA treatment, compared to the same concentration of PEA, resulted in higher cellular amounts of PEA and the endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoyl glycerol (2-AG), and increased 2-AG-induced transient receptor potential vanilloid type 1 (TRPV1) channel desensitization to capsaicin. GLUPEA inhibited pro-inflammatory monocyte chemoattractant protein 2 (MCP-2) release from stimulated keratinocytes, and it was almost as efficacious as ultra-micronized PEA at reducing colitis in dinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (DNBS)-injected mice when using the same dose. GLUPEA is a novel pro-drug able to efficiently mimic the anti-inflammatory and endocannabinoid enhancing actions of PEA.
Periphery-Fused Chiral A2B-Type Subporphyrin

Despite significant interest, the chiroptical properties of subporphyrins have rarely been investigated because chiral subporphyrins are elusive. Here, inherently chiral subporphyrins are elaborated by forming a fused pyran ring at the periphery of an A2B-type meso-aryl-substituted subporphyrin. Their circular dichroism (CD) properties are largely affected by the peripheral substituents and the dihedral angles between the meso-aryl substituents and the subporphyrin core: the β-perbromo subporphyrin with an orthogonal arrangement of the meso-phenyl substituents to the subporphyrin core exhibits weak CD signals corresponding to the Q bands, whereas the unsubstituted species with smaller dihedral angles shows relatively intense CD signals. A detailed structure–property relationship of these chiral subporphyrins was elucidated by time-dependent (TD) DFT calculations. This study reveals that the CD properties of chiral subporphyrins can be controlled by peripheral substitution and meso-aryl substituents.
Differences in Weight Status and Autonomous Motivation towards Sports among Children with Various Profiles of Motor Competence and Organized Sports Participation

This study aimed (1) to identify profiles in children based on actual motor competence (AMC), perceived motor competence (PMC), and organized sports participation (OSP), and (2) to examine differences among these profiles in weight status as well as autonomous motivation towards sports. Children’s (N = 206; 112 boys; Mage = 10.83 ± 0.92 years) AMC, PMC, OSP, weight status, and autonomous motivation towards sports were measured using validated assessment tools. Cluster analyses identified three profiles with completely convergent levels of AMC, PMC, and OSP and three profiles with partially convergent levels. Children in the convergent profiles with average to high levels of AMC, PMC, and OSP had the most optimal profile, as they combined a healthier weight status with elevated levels of autonomous motivation, while the opposite was true for children with low levels on all three cluster-variables. Partially convergent profiles showed that AMC and PMC appear crucial for weight status, as profiles with relatively low levels of AMC and PMC had the highest weight status, independent of their OSP levels. Overall, the findings highlight the importance of promoting AMC, PMC, and OSP simultaneously to help children in achieving a healthy weight status and being autonomously motivated towards OSP.
The Chemokine Receptor CCR3 Is Potentially Involved in the Homing of Prostate Cancer Cells to Bone: Implication of Bone-Marrow Adipocytes

Bone metastasis remains the most frequent and the deadliest complication of prostate cancer (PCa). Mechanisms leading to the homing of tumor cells to bone remain poorly characterized. Role of chemokines in providing navigational cues to migrating cancer cells bearing specific receptors is well established. Bone is an adipocyte-rich organ since 50 to 70% of the adult bone marrow (BM) volume comprise bone marrow adipocytes (BM-Ads), which are likely to produce chemokines within the bone microenvironment. Using in vitro migration assays, we demonstrated that soluble factors released by human primary BM-Ads are able to support the directed migration of PCa cells in a CCR3-dependent manner. In addition, we showed that CCL7, a chemokine previously involved in the CCR3-dependent migration of PCa cells outside of the prostate gland, is released by human BM-Ads. These effects are amplified by obesity and ageing, two clinical conditions known to promote aggressive and metastatic PCa. In human tumors, we found an enrichment of CCR3 in bone metastasis vs. primary tumors at mRNA levels using Oncomine microarray database. In addition, immunohistochemistry experiments demonstrated overexpression of CCR3 in bone versus visceral metastases. These results underline the potential importance of BM-Ads in the bone metastatic process and imply a CCR3/CCL7 axis whose pharmacological interest needs to be evaluated.
Quality of Life, Health and the Great Recession in Spain: Why Older People Matter?

The financial crisis of 2008 precipitated the “Great Recession”. In this scenario, we took Spain as a country of study, because although it experienced significant negative shocks associated with macroeconomic variables (GDP or unemployment), its welfare indicators have been marked by limited changes. This study used data from waves 2 and 4 (years 2006–2007 and 2010–2012, respectively) of the Survey on Health, Aging and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). Specifically, through logistic regressions we have analysed the effects of socioeconomic, demographic, health and “Great Recession” factors on the quality of life (QoL) of elders in Spain. Although QoL did not change too much during the “Great Recession”, the results confirmed the importance of several factors (such as chronicity) that affect the satisfaction with the QoL among the older people. In this regard, statistically significant effects were obtained for individual exposure to recession. Therefore, a decrease in household income in the crisis period with respect to the pre-crisis period would increase by 44% the probability of reporting a low QoL (OR = 1.44; 95% CI: 1.00–2.07). Furthermore, gender differences were observed. Health and socioeconomic variables are the most significant when determining individual QoL. Therefore, when creating policies, establishing multidisciplinary collaborations is essential.
The Value of Non-Referential Gestures: A Systematic Review of Their Cognitive and Linguistic Effects in Children’s Language Development

Speakers produce both referential gestures, which depict properties of a referent, and non-referential gestures, which lack semantic content. While a large number of studies have demonstrated the cognitive and linguistic benefits of referential gestures as well as their precursor and predictive role in both typically developing (TD) and non-TD children, less is known about non-referential gestures in cognitive and complex linguistic domains, such as narrative development. This paper is a systematic review and narrative synthesis of the research concerned with assessing the effects of non-referential gestures in such domains. A search of the literature turned up 11 studies, collectively involving 898 2- to 8-year-old TD children. Although they yielded contradictory evidence, pointing to the need for further investigations, the results of the six studies–in which experimental tasks and materials were pragmatically based–revealed that non-referential gestures not only enhance information recall and narrative comprehension but also act as predictors and causal mechanisms for narrative performance. This suggests that their bootstrapping role in language development is due to the fact that they have important discourse–pragmatic functions that help frame discourse. These findings should be of particular interest to teachers and future studies could extend their impact to non-TD children.
Polysaccharide mycophenolate-based nanoparticles for enhanced immunosuppression and treatment of immune-mediated inflammatory diseases

Immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs) are characterized by immune dysregulation and severe inflammation caused by the aberrant and overactive host immunological response. Mycophenolic acid (MPA)-based immunosuppressive drugs are potential treatments for IMIDs because of their mild side-effect profile; however, their therapeutic effects are limited by the high albumin binding rate, unsatisfactory pharmacokinetics, and undefined cellular uptake selectivity. Methods: Polysaccharide mycophenolate was synthesized by conjugating MPA molecules to dextran (a typical polysaccharide widely used in drug delivery) and encapsulated extra free MPA molecules to fabricate MPA@Dex-MPA nanoparticles (NPs). The efficacy of these NPs for mediating immunosuppression and treatment of IMIDs was evaluated in imiquimod-induced psoriasis-like skin inflammation in Balb/c mice, a representative IMID model. Results: The MPA@Dex-MPA NPs exhibited high MPA loading efficiency, low albumin binding rates, and sustained MPA release, resulting in improved pharmacokinetics in vivo. Compared to free MPA, MPA@Dex-MPA NPs induced more robust therapeutic effects on IMIDs. Mechanistic studies indicated that MPA@Dex-MPA NPs were primarily distributed in dendritic cells (DCs) and significantly suppressed the overactivated DCs in vivo and in vitro. Furthermore, the recovered DCs rehabilitated the IL-23/Th17 axis function and significantly ameliorated imiquimod-induced psoriasis-like skin inflammation. Importantly, MPA@Dex-MPA NPs showed favorable safety and biocompatibility in vivo. Conclusion: Our results indicated the polysaccharide mycophenolate-based NPs to be highly promising for IMID treatment.
Does the SUVmax of FDG-PET/CT Correlate with the ADC Values of DWI in Musculoskeletal Malignancies?

Purpose: To evaluate the correlation of maximum standardized uptake values (SUVmax) of 18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography/computed tomography (FDG-PET/CT) with the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) of diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) in musculoskeletal malignancies. Methods: Institutional ethics committee approved this retrospective study. Twenty-seven patients (mean age: 44.85 ± 24.07; 17 men and 10 women) with a total of 29 musculoskeletal tumors underwent both FDG-PET/CT and DWI between January 2017 and March 2020. Region-of-interest (ROI)-based maximal standardized uptake values (SUVmax) of the tumors were measured on FDG-PET/CT images. Two radiologists measured lesions’ mean and minimum apparent diffusion coefficient (ADCmean and ADCmin) using five distinct ROIs on DWI images. Pearson correlation analysis was used to assess the correlation between SUVmax and ADC values. Results: There were 18 soft tissue tumors (62.1%) and 11 bone tumors (37.9%) with a mean maximum diameter of 9.4 ± 6.2 cm. The mean SUVmax, ADCmean and ADCmin of the whole lesions were 12.93 ± 9.63, 0.85 ± 0.28 × 10–3mm2/s and 0.61 ± 0.27 × 10–3mm2/s, respectively. SUVmax had a weak correlation with tumor maximum diameter (r = 0.378, p = 0.043), whereas ADCmean and ADCmin had none. There was strong inverse correlation between SUVmax and both ADCmean (r = –0.616, p < 0.001) and ADCmin (r = –0.638, p < 0.001). Conclusion: In musculoskeletal tumors, quantitative markers of FDG uptake and diffusion restriction strongly correlate.