Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Clinical Outcome of a Modified Coracoid Tunnel-Free Coracoclavicular Sling Technique With Remnant Preservation for the Treatment of High-Grade Acromioclavicular Joint Separation: A Report of 48 Cases With 2 to 5 Years of Follow-up

Background: High-grade acromioclavicular (AC) joint separation injuries (Rockwood type IV or V) are surgically indicated because of complete disruption of the AC and coracoclavicular (CC) ligaments, leading to instability and pain. In surgical techniques that require a suspensory system, coracoid tunnel-related complications are not uncommon. Purpose: To report subjective and objective clinical outcomes and complication rates of a modified coracoid tunnel-free CC sling technique combined with CC ligament remnant preservation for a minimum 2-year follow-up. Study Design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4. Methods: Between January 2014 and January 2017, we prospectively enrolled patients who underwent a modified CC sling technique performed by 1 senior surgeon using the AC TightRope System in a coracoid tunnel-free fashion. The CC distance (CCD) and Rockwood AC joint classification were evaluated on radiographs preoperatively, immediately postoperatively, and at the final follow-up. The visual analog pain score, range of motion, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons score, Constant-Murley score, and University of California Los Angeles score were recorded preoperatively and at the final follow-up. Results: In total, 48 of 54 patients (88.9%) were included for the evaluation with a mean ± SD follow-up of 39.3 ± 8.9 months (range, 24.7-64.3 months). The CCD was significantly decreased from 22.7 ± 4.2 to 9.8 ± 2.3 mm (P < .01) immediately after surgery and to 11.2 ± 1.8 mm (P < .01) at final follow-up. At the final follow-up, the side-to-side difference of CCD was 3.5 ± 0.6 mm. Compared with the preoperative level, all subjective evaluations were significantly improved at the final follow-up. We observed that 4 of the 48 patients (8.3%) had a loss of reduction at the final follow-up, but no pain or instability was documented. Further, no coracoid-related complication or other complications were recorded. Conclusion: The coracoid tunnel-free CC sling technique using the AC TightRope System combined with CC ligament remnant preservation demonstrated significant improvement regarding both clinical and radiological outcomes, with a reduction loss rate of 8.3%. It is a safe method that could achieve satisfactory result without any coracoid drilling-related complications.
Targeting AKT/mTOR and Bcl-2 for Autophagic and Apoptosis Cell Death in Lung Cancer: Novel Activity of a Polyphenol Compound

Autophagic cell death (ACD) is an alternative death mechanism in resistant malignant cancer cells. In this study, we demonstrated how polyphenol stilbene compound PE5 exhibits potent ACD-promoting activity in lung cancer cells that may offer an opportunity for novel cancer treatment. Cell death caused by PE5 was found to be concomitant with dramatic autophagy induction, as indicated by acidic vesicle staining, autophagosome, and the LC3 conversion. We further confirmed that the main death induction caused by PE5 was via ACD, since the co-treatment with an autophagy inhibitor could reverse PE5-mediated cell death. Furthermore, the defined mechanism of action and upstream regulatory signals were identified using proteomic analysis. Time-dependent proteomic analysis showed that PE5 affected 2142 and 1996 proteins after 12 and 24 h of treatment, respectively. The crosstalk network comprising 128 proteins that control apoptosis and 25 proteins involved in autophagy was identified. Protein–protein interaction analysis further indicated that the induction of ACD was via AKT/mTOR and Bcl-2 suppression. Western blot analysis confirmed that the active forms of AKT, mTOR, and Bcl-2 were decreased in PE5-treated cells. Taken together, we demonstrated the novel mechanism of PE5 in shifting autophagy toward cell death induction by targeting AKT/mTOR and Bcl-2 suppression.
Which Is the Best Treatment in Recurrent Thymoma? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Simple Summary Thymomas are rare tumors developing in the anterior mediastinum. Despite their usually indolent behavior, recurrence might occur in 5–15% of cases. Considering their rarity, the optimal recurrence treatment is still unclear even if surgical treatment seems to ensure a remarkable long-term survival compared to chemo- or radiotherapy. However, the major part of studies report low patient numbers, and it is difficult to plan prospective studies due to tumor characteristics, long follow-up and rarity of cases. For these reasons, we planned a systematic review and meta-analysis comparing surgical treatment with other therapies, in order to identify the best treatment for these patients. Our meta-analysis included more than 700 patients showing that surgical treatment seems to be associated with a better survival compared to other treatments and should be considered where feasible. Abstract Background: Optimal recurrent thymoma management remains arguable because of limited patient numbers, and relatively late and variable recurrence patterns. Given the absence of high-quality evidence and relatively small study cohorts, we performed a quantitative meta-analysis to determine the outcome of surgical and non-surgical approaches assessing the five-year overall survival (5y overall survival (OS)) in patients with recurrent thymoma. Methods: We performed a comprehensive literature search and analysis according to PRISMA guidelines of studies published from 1 January 1980 until 18 June 2020 from PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Scopus. We included studies with the cohorts’ superior to 30 patients describing recurrent thymoma treatment, comparing surgical and non-surgical approaches reporting survival data. Results: Literature search revealed 3017 articles. Nine studies met all inclusion criteria and were selected for the meta-analysis. The recurrences were local/regional in 73–98% of cases and multiple in 49–72%. After treatment, 5y OS ranged from 48–77% and 10y OS from 37–51%. The quantitative meta-analysis showed a better outcome comparing surgical vs other treatments. Two studies showed statistically significant risk differences in the 5y OS favoring complete resection. After pooling results of seven studies using the random model, the combined 5y OS risk difference was 0.39, with lower and upper limits of 0.16 and 0.62, respectively (p = 0.001), and a moderate heterogeneity among studies (p = 0.098, I2 = 43.9%). Definitive conclusions could not be drawn regarding the prognostic impact of myasthenia gravis, histology, and patterns of relapse reported in literature. Conclusions: Surgical treatment after thymoma recurrence is associated with a significant better 5y OS; therefore, surgical resection should be preferred in all technically feasible cases.
Effect of Synchronous Versus Sequential Regimens on the Pharmacokinetics and Biodistribution of Regorafenib with Irradiation

This study was performed to evaluate the interaction between conventional or high-dose radiotherapy (RT) and the pharmacokinetics (PK) of regorafenib in concurrent or sequential regimens for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. Concurrent and sequential in vitro and in vivo studies of irradiation and regorafenib were designed. The interactions of RT and regorafenib in vitro were examined in the human hepatoma Huh-7, HA22T and Hep G2 cell lines. The RT–PK phenomenon and biodistribution of regorafenib under RT were confirmed in a free-moving rat model. Regorafenib inhibited the viability of Huh-7 cells in a dose-dependent manner. Apoptosis in Huh-7 cells was enhanced by RT followed by regorafenib treatment. In the concurrent regimen, RT decreased the area under the concentration versus time curve (AUC)regorafenib by 74% (p = 0.001) in the RT2 Gy × 3 fraction (f’x) group and by 69% (p = 0.001) in the RT9 Gy × 3 f’x group. The AUCregorafenib was increased by 182.8% (p = 0.011) in the sequential RT2Gy × 1 f’x group and by 213.2% (p = 0.016) in the sequential RT9Gy × 1 f’x group. Both concurrent regimens, RT2Gy × 3 f’x and RT9Gy × 3 f’x, clearly decreased the biodistribution of regorafenib in the heart, liver, lung, spleen and kidneys, compared to the control (regorafenib × 3 d) group. The concurrent regimens, both RT2Gy × 3 f’x and RT9Gy × 3 f’x, significantly decreased the biodistribution of regorafenib, compared with the control group. The PK of regorafenib can be modulated both by off-target irradiation and stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT).
Occurrence of Multidrug Resistant Escherichia coli in Raw Meat and Cloaca Swabs in Poultry Processed in Slaughter Slabs in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

This cross-sectional study was conducted between January and June 2020, in five large poultry slaughter slabs in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Purposive sampling was used to select broilers and spent layers, from which meat and cloaca swabs were collected to determine the occurrence of multidrug resistant (MDR) Escherichia coli. Identification of isolates was done using API 20E, and antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed as per CLSI (2018) guidelines. EBSL (CTX-M, TEM, SHV) and plasmid mediated quinolone (qnrA, qnrB, qnrS and aac(6′)-Ib-cr) were screened using PCR. Out of 384 samples, 212 (55.2%) were positive for E. coli, of which 147 (69.3%) were resistant to multiple drugs (MDR). Highest resistance was detected to tetracycline (91.9%), followed by sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim (80.5%), ampicillin (70.9%), ciprofloxacin (40.2%) and 25% cefotaxime, gentamycin (10.8%) and imipenem (8.6%) (95% CI, p < 0.01). Out of the E. coli-positive samples, ten (10/212) (4.7%) were ESBL producing E. coli, of which CTX-M was detected in two isolates and quinolones resistant gene (qnrS) in eight, while TEM, SHV, qnrA, qnrB and aac(6′)-lb-cr were not detected. The high level of resistance and multidrug resistance imply these antibiotics are ineffective, add unnecessary cost to poultry farmers and certainly facilitate emergence and spread of resistance.
Layer-Scale and Chip-Scale Transfer Techniques for Functional Devices and Systems: A Review

Hetero-integration of functional semiconductor layers and devices has received strong research interest from both academia and industry. While conventional techniques such as pick-and-place and wafer bonding can partially address this challenge, a variety of new layer transfer and chip-scale transfer technologies have been developed. In this review, we summarize such transfer techniques for heterogeneous integration of ultrathin semiconductor layers or chips to a receiving substrate for many applications, such as microdisplays and flexible electronics. We showed that a wide range of materials, devices, and systems with expanded functionalities and improved performance can be demonstrated by using these technologies. Finally, we give a detailed analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of these techniques, and discuss the future research directions of layer transfer and chip transfer techniques.
Does Flavonoid Consumption Improve Exercise Performance? Is It Related to Changes in the Immune System and Inflammatory Biomarkers? A Systematic Review of Clinical Studies since 2005

Flavonoids are attracting increasing attention due to their antioxidant, cardioprotective, and immunomodulatory properties. Nevertheless, little is known about their role in exercise performance in association with immune function. This systematic review firstly aimed to shed light on the ergogenic potential of flavonoids. A search strategy was run using SCOPUS database. The returned studies were screened by prespecified eligibility criteria, including intervention lasting at least one week and performance objectively quantified, among others. Fifty-one studies (54 articles) met the inclusion criteria, involving 1288 human subjects, either physically untrained or trained. Secondly, we aimed to associate these studies with the immune system status. Seventeen of the selected studies (18 articles) assessed changes in the immune system. The overall percentage of studies reporting an improved exercise performance following flavonoid supplementation was 37%, the proportion being 25% when considering quercetin, 28% for flavanol-enriched extracts, and 54% for anthocyanins-enriched extracts. From the studies reporting an enhanced performance, only two, using anthocyanin supplements, focused on the immune system and found certain anti-inflammatory effects of these flavonoids. These results suggest that flavonoids, especially anthocyanins, may exert beneficial effects for athletes’ performances, although further studies are encouraged to establish the optimal dosage and to clarify their impact on immune status.
High-Precision Automatic Calibration Modeling of Point Light Source Tracking Systems

To realize high-precision and high-frequency unattended site calibration and detection of satellites, automatic direction adjustment must be implemented in mirror arrays. This paper proposes a high-precision automatic calibration model based on a novel point light source tracking system for mirror arrays. A camera automatically observes the solar vector, and an observation equation coupling the image space and local coordinate systems is established. High-precision calibration of the system is realized through geometric error calculation of multipoint observation data. Moreover, model error analysis and solar tracking verification experiments are conducted. The standard deviations of the pitch angle and azimuth angle errors are 0.0176° and 0.0305°, respectively. The root mean square errors of the image centroid contrast are 2.0995 and 0.8689 pixels along the x- and y-axes, respectively. The corresponding pixel angular resolution errors are 0.0377° and 0.0144°, and the comprehensive angle resolution error is 0.0403°. The calculated model values are consistent with the measured data, validating the model. The proposed point light source tracking system can satisfy the requirements of high-resolution, high-precision, high-frequency on-orbit satellite radiometric calibration and modulation transfer function detection.
What Factors Influence on Dermatology-Related Life Quality of Psoriasis Patients in South Korea?

This descriptive study aimed to identify factors that can influence the quality of life of psoriasis patients. A total of 118 psoriasis outpatients completed a questionnaire consisting of the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), Psoriasis Life Stress Inventory (PLSI), Mishel Uncertainty in Illness Scale-Community form (MUIS-C), Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression scale (CES-D), and Self-Reported Severity Score (SRSS). The Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI) was calculated. The collected data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, t-test, one-way ANOVA, Scheffé test, Pearson’s correlation analysis, and stepwise multiple regression using SPSS/WIN 26.0. The average score of the DLQI was 14.19 ± 6.83 (range 0–30); the DLQI showed statistically significant differences according to age (F = 4.02, p = 0.021) and smoking type (F = 7.49, p = 0.001). The dermatology-related quality of life was significantly affected by psoriasis-related stress (β = 0.37, p < 0.001), depression (β = 0.35, p < 0.001), and subjective severity (β = 0.19, p = 0.005); these variables explained 60.7% of the variance in the dermatology-related quality of life (F = 61.34, p < 0.001). The results demonstrated that psoriasis-related stress, depression, and perceived severity of psoriasis should be considered when developing nursing interventions to improve patients’ quality of life.
The Effect of Infertility on the Liver Structure, Endocrinology, and Gene Network in Japanese Flounder

Simple Summary Infertility is a serious disorder that is characterized by the absence of fecundity in an individual. Not only does infertility in human beings affect reproduction, it also impacts hormonal secretion, metabolism, and the immune system. The doubled haploid (DH) that is induced by artificial mitogynogenesis or androgenesis in fish often results in infertility. The causes of infertility and its effects on other organs in the DH Japanese flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) have not yet been established. Due to many aspects, the reproductive biology of this species is largely unknown or incomplete. Here, we compared the liver structure and hormone levels between fertile and infertile Japanese flounders, constructed ceRNA networks, and performed the integrated analysis of transcriptomics and proteomics. We concluded that gonadal infertility is associated with not only changes in histological structure and hormone secretion, but also changes in metabolism, immunity, and signal transduction networks in the liver. We also identified and characterized the differently expressed non-protein coding transcripts that are involved in liver functions in response to infertility. This study expanded our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of infertility on fish. Abstract The liver can synthesize vitellogenin, the precursor of vitellin, which is needed for oocyte development and maturation. Here, we investigated the effects of infertility on liver structure, hormone regulation, and gene and protein networks in Japanese flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus). Results showed that the liver of infertile fish had fewer vacuoles and significantly lower serum vitellogenin (VTG) level than in liver of fertile fish. Whole transcriptomics analysis between infertile and fertile groups identified 2076 significantly differentially expressed (DE) mRNAs, 431 DE lncRNAs, 265 DE circRNAs, and 53 DE miRNAs. Proteomics analysis identified 838 DE proteins. Integrated analysis of whole transcriptomics and proteomics revealed 60 significantly DE genes and proteins associated with metabolism, immunity, signal transduction, and steroid biosynthesis. Moreover, non-coding RNA (miRNAs, circRNA, and lncRNA) transcripts involved in metabolism, immunity, and signal transduction in infertile liver were identified. In conclusion, this study shows that gonadal infertility is associated with not only changes in histological structure and hormone secretion but also changes in metabolism, immunity, and signal transduction networks in the liver. These results provide valuable information concerning the mechanism underlying infertility in fish.
VNTR typing of the bacterial rice pathogen Burkholderia glumae reveals the coexistence of several diverging lineages in a single field in Colombia.

Bulkholderia glumae is responsible for the panicle blight disease of rice. This disease is present worldwide and can result in significant drop in yields. In order to estimate the genetic diversity of the bacterial strains present in a rice paddy field in Colombia, we sampled 109 strains from infected panicles. In order to detect fine genetic relationships among related haplotypes, and to overcome a very low nucleotide diversity detected in previous studies, we designed primers to amplify and sequence several highly variable minisatellite loci, or Variable Number Tandem Repeats, as well as part of the Toxoflavin toxA gene, in all strains. Results show that (i) the toxA nucleotide diversity defined four lineages and was similar to that detected in several fields in Japan, (ii) data suggest that B. glumae has spread from Asia to America without major loss of genetic diversity, (iii) five VNTR loci discriminated the strains within the field revealing single and multi-infections of the rice panicles with a wide distribution of the haplotypes among the different plots. Even though disease levels vary considerably from year to year, the bacterial genetic diversity is maintained within a field. We do not detect any geographical structuring within the field, nor any effect of the rice cultivar on the observed diversity. The consequences on the origin and evolution of the bacteria are discussed.
Characterization of Four Orphan Receptors (GPR3, GPR6, GPR12 and GPR12L) in Chickens and Ducks and Regulation of GPR12 Expression in Ovarian Granulosa Cells by Progesterone

The three structurally related orphan G protein-coupled receptors, GRP3, GPR6, and GPR12, are reported to be constitutively active and likely involved in the regulation of many physiological/pathological processes, such as neuronal outgrowth and oocyte meiotic arrest in mammals. However, the information regarding these orphan receptors in nonmammalian vertebrates is extremely limited. Here, we reported the structure, constitutive activity, and tissue expression of these receptors in two representative avian models: chickens and ducks. The cloned duck GPR3 and duck/chicken GPR6 and GPR12 are intron-less and encode receptors that show high amino acid (a.a.) sequence identities (66–88%) with their respective mammalian orthologs. Interestingly, a novel GPR12-like receptor (named GPR12L) sharing 66% a.a. identity to that in vertebrates was reported in the present study. Using dual-luciferase reporter assay and Western blot, we demonstrated that GPR3, GPR6, GPR12, and GPR12L are constitutively active and capable of stimulating the cAMP/PKA signaling pathway without ligand stimulation in birds (and zebrafish), indicating their conserved signaling property across vertebrates. RNA-seq data/qRT-PCR assays revealed that GPR6 and GPR12L expression is mainly restricted to the chicken brain, while GPR12 is highly expressed in chicken ovarian granulosa cells (GCs) and oocytes of 6 mm growing follicles and its expression in cultured GCs is upregulated by progesterone. Taken together, our data reveal the structure, function, and expression of GPR3, GPR6, GPR12, and GPR12L in birds, thus providing the first piece of evidence that GPR12 expression is upregulated by gonadal steroid (i.e., progesterone) in vertebrates.
A Missense Mutation in the KLF7 Gene Is a Potential Candidate Variant for Congenital Deafness in Australian Stumpy Tail Cattle Dogs

Congenital deafness is prevalent among modern dog breeds, including Australian Stumpy Tail Cattle Dogs (ASCD). However, in ASCD, no causative gene has been identified so far. Therefore, we performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) and whole genome sequencing (WGS) of affected and normal individuals. For GWAS, 3 bilateral deaf ASCDs, 43 herding dogs, and one unaffected ASCD were used, resulting in 13 significantly associated loci on 6 chromosomes, i.e., CFA3, 8, 17, 23, 28, and 37. CFA37 harbored a region with the most significant association (−log10(9.54 × 10−21) = 20.02) as well as 7 of the 13 associated loci. For whole genome sequencing, the same three affected ASCDs and one unaffected ASCD were used. The WGS data were compared with 722 canine controls and filtered for protein coding and non-synonymous variants, resulting in four missense variants present only in the affected dogs. Using effect prediction tools, two variants remained with predicted deleterious effects within the Heart development protein with EGF like domains 1 (HEG1) gene (NC_006615.3: g.28028412G>C; XP_022269716.1: p.His531Asp) and Kruppel-like factor 7 (KLF7) gene (NC_006619.3: g.15562684G>A; XP_022270984.1: p.Leu173Phe). Due to its function as a regulator in heart and vessel formation and cardiovascular development, HEG1 was excluded as a candidate gene. On the other hand, KLF7 plays a crucial role in the nervous system, is expressed in the otic placode, and is reported to be involved in inner ear development. 55 additional ASCD samples (28 deaf and 27 normal hearing dogs) were genotyped for the KLF7 variant, and the variant remained significantly associated with deafness in ASCD (p = 0.014). Furthermore, 24 dogs with heterozygous or homozygous mutations were detected, including 18 deaf dogs. The penetrance was calculated to be 0.75, which is in agreement with previous reports. In conclusion, KLF7 is a promising candidate gene causative for ASCD deafness.