Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Online Knowledge Translation Program Involving Video Games and University Student–Led Tutorials About Cannabis and Psychosis for Black Youth: Mixed Method Feasibility Study

Background We have piloted a new online knowledge translation (KT) program created to educate youth about cannabis effects, which uniquely focuses on mental health risks for Black youth. Youth are generally unaware of the research linking underage usage and the risk of psychosis. Youth from some Black racialized communities in Ontario may be disproportionately affected and in need of this knowledge. Objective Because very little is known about the acceptability and feasibility of programs educating Black youth about cannabis and psychosis risk, we evaluated this KT program, which consists of tutorials facilitated by university students and video games. Methods This mixed methods pilot study evaluates the transfer of knowledge about cannabis and psychosis risk before and after the online KT program and, at the same time, explores participant satisfaction with the program and views about underage use. Eligible participants were youth 16-19 years of age of Black African or Caribbean descent. Trained undergraduate students from McMaster University administered a quiz (psychosis and cannabis test; PCT) to evaluate knowledge before and after the KT program. After playing the psychoeducational video games, participants attended two tutorial group sessions led by undergraduate students. The undergraduate students facilitated the online tutorials about cannabis and psychosis. The tutorials augmented the educational content embedded within the gameplay: participants discussed what they learned from the video games and their understanding of psychosis and the effects of cannabis. In addition, undergraduate students qualitatively analyzed the tutorial discussions for themes, and the prequiz and postquiz scores were analyzed for significant differences in scores. Results A total of 9 Black youth were recruited and completed this pilot study. The mean PCT scores were 5.67 (SD 1.7) and 7.78 (SD 1.8) before and after the KT program, respectively. There was a significant improvement in scores (P<.05) post-KT program. Thematic analysis of the facilitated tutorials revealed three major themes: video game satisfaction, marijuana and psychosis literacy, and help-seeking awareness. Overall, participants showed an increased awareness and understanding of the subject matter after the gameplay and tutorial intervention. Conclusions When supplemented with tutorial sessions, the Back to Reality Series shows promise for addressing the gap in knowledge about cannabis and psychosis, and the results provide preliminary evidence that the games appeal to Black youth.
Privacy Preservation in Patient Information Exchange Systems Based on Blockchain: System Design Study

Background With the increasing sophistication of the medical industry, various advanced medical services such as medical artificial intelligence, telemedicine, and personalized health care services have emerged. The demand for medical data is also rapidly increasing today because advanced medical services use medical data such as user data and electronic medical records (EMRs) to provide services. As a result, health care institutions and medical practitioners are researching various mechanisms and tools to feed medical data into their systems seamlessly. However, medical data contain sensitive personal information of patients. Therefore, ensuring security while meeting the demand for medical data is a very important problem in the information age for which a solution is required. Objective Our goal is to design a blockchain-based decentralized patient information exchange (PIE) system that can safely and efficiently share EMRs. The proposed system preserves patients’ privacy in the EMRs through a medical information exchange process that includes data encryption and access control. Methods We propose a blockchain-based EMR-sharing system that allows patients to manage their EMRs scattered across multiple hospitals and share them with other users. Our PIE system protects the patient’s EMR from security threats such as counterfeiting and privacy attacks during data sharing. In addition, it provides scalability by using distributed data-sharing methods to quickly share an EMR, regardless of its size or type. We implemented simulation models using Hyperledger Fabric, an open source blockchain framework. Results We performed a simulation of the EMR-sharing process and compared it with previous works on blockchain-based medical systems to check the proposed system’s performance. During the simulation, we found that it takes an average of 0.01014 (SD 0.0028) seconds to download 1 MB of EMR in our proposed PIE system. Moreover, it has been confirmed that data can be freely shared with other users regardless of the size or format of the data to be transmitted through the distributed data-sharing technique using the InterPlanetary File System. We conducted a security analysis to check whether the proposed security mechanism can effectively protect users of the EMR-sharing system from security threats such as data forgery or unauthorized access, and we found that the distributed ledger structure and re-encryption–based data encryption method can effectively protect users’ EMRs from forgery and privacy leak threats and provide data integrity. Conclusions Blockchain is a distributed ledger technology that provides data integrity to enable patient-centered health information exchange and access control. PIE systems integrate and manage fragmented patient EMRs through blockchain and protect users from security threats during the data exchange process among users. To increase safety and efficiency in the EMR-sharing process, we used access control using security levels, data encryption based on re-encryption, and a distributed data-sharing scheme.
Does losing money truly hurt? The shared neural bases of monetary loss and pain

Both monetary loss and pain have been studied for decades, but evidence supporting the relationship between them is still lacking. We conducted a meta‐analysis to explore the overlapping brain regions between monetary loss and pain, including physical pain and social pain. Regardless of the type of pain experienced, activation of the anterior insula was a shared neural representation of monetary loss and pain. The network representation pattern of monetary loss was more similar to that of social pain than that of physical pain. In conclusion, our research provided evidence of the common neural correlates of monetary loss and pain.
A study on non-invasive prenatal screening for the detection of aneuploidy.

OBJECTIVES To explore the feasibility of clinical application of non-invasive prenatal screening to detect aneuploidy diseases. MATERIAL AND METHODS A total of 14,574 singleton pregnant women who underwent Non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) in the Southern Hospital from 2015 to June 2017 were selected, and 6471 pregnant women with twin pregnancy who underwent NIPT in the laboratory of Bei Rui He Kang Southern Hospital from June 2016 to October 2017 were included in this study. We analyzed NIPT screening efficiency (sensitivity, specificity) in twin pregnancies and singleton pregnancies, compared the positive detection rate of NIPT in patients with or without clinical symptoms. All NIPT high-risk results were validated by karyotyping, which were further verified by the follow-up physical examination of the neonatal. RESULTS A total of 68 cases of twin pregnancy abnormalities were detected by NIPT, including 18 cases of trisomy 21, 6 cases of trisomy 18, 1 case of trisomy 13, 39 cases of Spinocerebellar ataxias (SCAs), and 4 cases of other chromosomal abnormalities. The sensitivity for trisomy 21, 18, and 13 and sex chromosome abnormality was 100%; the specificity for trisomy 21, 18, and 13 and sex chromosome abnormality was 99.97%, 99.95%, 99.97%, and 99.91% respectively. The screening efficiency was similar to that of singleton pregnancy, indicating that the NIPT technology in our laboratory for screening for aneuploidy diseases in twin pregnancy has reached the accuracy level of singleton pregnancy screening. There was a statistical difference between the risk group and the non-risk group in pregnant women with singleton pregnancy. The screening efficiency of NIPT was higher in pregnant women in the risk group, which implies that the clinical application of NIPT is inclined to detect high-risk group. CONCLUSIONS Non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) is a rapid and safe screening method with high efficiency. Non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) is used for the screening of aneuploidy in twin pregnancy. The efficiency is similar to that of singleton pregnancy, indicating the feasibility of clinical application. However, the efficiency of NIPT screening tends to favor the detection in high-risk groups.
Patient-Specific Magnetic Catheters for Atraumatic Autonomous Endoscopy

Despite increasing interest in minimally invasive surgical techniques and related developments in flexible endoscopes and catheters, follow-the-leader motion remains elusive. Following the path of least resistance through a tortuous and potentially delicate environment without relying on interaction with the surrounding anatomy requires the control of many degrees of freedom. This typically results in large-diameter instruments. One viable solution to obtain dexterity without increasing size is via multiple-point magnetic actuation over the length of the catheter. The main challenge of this approach is planning magnetic interaction to allow the catheter to adapt to the surrounding anatomy during navigation. We design and manufacture a fully shape-forming, soft magnetic catheter of 80 mm length and 2 mm diameter, capable of navigating a human anatomy in a follow-the-leader fashion. Although this system could be exploited for a range of endoscopic or intravascular applications, here we demonstrate its efficacy for navigational bronchoscopy. From a patient-specific preoperative scan, we optimize the catheters’ magnetization profiles and the shape-forming actuating field. To generate the required transient magnetic fields, a dual-robot arm system is employed. We fabricate three separate prototypes to demonstrate minimal contact navigation through a three-dimensional bronchial tree phantom under precomputed robotic control. We also compare a further four separate optimally designed catheters against mechanically equivalent designs with axial magnetization profiles along their length and only at the tip. Using our follow-the-leader approach, we demonstrate up to 50% more accurate tracking, 50% reduction in obstacle contact time during navigation over the state of the art, and an improvement in targeting error of 90%.
The Comparative Effects of Inulin and Bacillus clausii on LPS-Induced Endotoxemic Rat Liver

ABSTRACT Background This paper sought to investigate the modifies of inulin and Bacillus clausii on the lipopolysaccharides (LPS) inducing oxidative stress signaling pathway in the endotoxemic rat model. Methods Wistar albino male rats (n = 36), divided into six groups, were formed randomly in the following stages: the control group; the prebiotic group (Inulin; 500 mg/kg); the probiotic group (Bacillus clausii; 1x109 CFU); the LPS group (1.5 mg/kg) as the endotoxemic model; the prebiotic group + LPS; and the probiotic group + LPS as treatment groups. Results The reactive oxygen species (ROS), advanced oxidation products of protein (AOPP), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), total oxidant status (TOS), oxidative stress index (OSI), and myeloperoxidase activity (MPO) levels increased in LPS-induced toxicity. Prebiotic treatment decreased LPS-induced hepatotoxicity on rat liver as observed in the decrease in the levels of oxidative stress parameters, such as ROS, TBARS, TOS, and OSI. The effect of the probiotic treatment on the ROS, AOPP, TOS, OSI levels was not statistically significant. However, it was determined that probiotic application was effective in the TBARS, TAS, and GSH levels. When the biochemical results of the prebiotic and probiotic treatment applications were compared, it was found that the prebiotic treatment was more effective on oxidative stress parameters (ROS, TBARS, TOS, and OSI). In addition, the histological damage score and MPO-staining results of the prebiotic treatment group were found to be more effective than the probiotic group. Conclusion In this first study, where inulin and Bacillus clausii spores are used against liver damage caused by LPS, inulin provides much more effective protection than Bacillus clausii spores.
High Expression of THBS1 Leads to a Poor Prognosis in Papillary Thyroid Cancer and Suppresses the Anti-Tumor Immune Microenvironment

Objectives: To study the role of thrombospondin-1 (THBS1) in papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) prognosis and the immune microenvironment. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was designed, and data from The Cancer Genome Atlas database and PTC tissues from Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center were used. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis was performed to build a THBS1-immune-related gene prognostic index (T-I index). Results: High THBS1 expression was correlated with advanced TNM stage, higher recurrence risk, and shorter progression-free interval. High THBS1 expression correlated with MAPK and PD1 pathways indicating a tumor promoting and immunity-inhibiting tendency. The T-I index showed a powerful capacity to predict progression-free survival and immunotherapy benefit. Conclusion: High expression of THBS1 leads to a poor prognosis in PTCs and suppresses the anti-tumor immune microenvironment.
Comparisons of ribonuclease HI homologs and mutants uncover a multi-state model for substrate recognition

Ribonuclease HI (RNHI) non-specifically cleaves the RNA strand in RNA:DNA hybrid duplexes in a myriad of biological processes, including retroviral reverse transcription. Several RNHI homologs contain an extended domain, termed the handle region, that is critical to substrate binding. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations have suggested a kinetic model in which the handle region can exist in open (substrate-binding competent) or closed (substrate-binding incompetent) states in homologs containing arginine or lysine at position 88 (using sequence numbering of E. coli RNHI), while the handle region populates a state intermediate between the open and closed conformers in homologs with asparagine at residue 88 [Stafford, K. A. , et al., PLoS Comput. Biol. 2013, 9, 1-10]. NMR parameters characterizing handle region dynamics are highly correlated with enzymatic activity for RNHI homologs with two-state (open/closed) handle regions [Martin, J. A. , et al., Biochemistry 2020, 59, 3201-3205]. The work presented herein shows that homologs with one-state (intermediate) handle regions display distinct structural features compared with their two-state counterparts. Comparisons of RNHI homologs and site-directed mutants with arginine at position 88 support a kinetic model for handle region dynamics that includes 12 unique transitions between eight conformations. Overall, these findings present an example of the structure-function relationships of enzymes and spotlight the use of NMR spectroscopy and MD simulations in uncovering fine details of conformational preferences.
Utility of Diabetes Type-Specific Genetic Risk Scores for the Classification of Diabetes Type Among Multiethnic Youth.

OBJECTIVE Genetic risk scores (GRSs) aid classification of diabetes type in White European adult populations. We aimed to assess the utility of GRS in the classification of diabetes type among racially/ethnically diverse youth in the U.S. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS We generated type 1 diabetes (T1D)- and type 2 diabetes (T2D)-specific GRSs in 2,045 individuals from the SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth study. We assessed the distribution of genetic risk stratified by diabetes autoantibody positive or negative (DAA+/-) and insulin sensitivity (IS) or insulin resistance (IR) and self-reported race/ethnicity (White, Black, Hispanic, and other). RESULTS T1D and T2D GRSs were strong independent predictors of etiologic type. The T1D GRS was highest in the DAA+/IS group and lowest in the DAA-/IR group, with the inverse relationship observed with the T2D GRS. Discrimination was similar across all racial/ethnic groups but showed differences in score distribution. Clustering by combined genetic risk showed DAA+/IR and DAA-/IS individuals had a greater probability of T1D than T2D. In DAA- individuals, genetic probability of T1D identified individuals most likely to progress to absolute insulin deficiency. CONCLUSIONS Diabetes type-specific GRS are consistent predictors of diabetes type across racial/ethnic groups in a U.S. youth cohort, but future work needs to account for differences in GRS distribution by ancestry. T1D and T2D GRS may have particular utility for classification of DAA- children.
A simulation study to examine the impact of recombination on phylogenomic inferences under the multispecies coalescent model

Phylogenomic analyses under the multispecies coalescent model assume no recombination within locus and free recombination among loci. Yet, in real data sets intralocus recombination causes different sites of the same locus to have different genealogical histories so that the model is misspecified. The impact of recombination on various coalescent‐based phylogenomic analyses has not been systematically examined. Here, we conduct a computer simulation to examine the impact of recombination on several Bayesian analyses of multilocus sequence data, including species tree estimation, species delimitation (by Bayesian selection of delimitation models) and estimation of evolutionary parameters such as species divergence and introgression times, population sizes for modern and extinct species, and cross‐species introgression probabilities. We found that recombination, at rates comparable to estimates from the human being, has little impact on coalescent‐based species tree estimation, species delimitation and estimation of population parameters. At rates 10 times higher than the human rate, recombination may affect parameter estimation, causing positive biases in introgression times and ancestral population sizes, although species divergence times and cross‐species introgression probabilities are estimated with little bias. Overall, the simulation suggests that phylogenomic inferences under the multispecies coalescent model are robust to realistic amounts of intralocus recombination.
Quantifying Differences Between Affine and Nonlinear Spatial Normalization of FP-CIT Spect Images

Spatial normalization helps us to compare quantitatively two or more input brain scans. Although using an affine normalization approach preserves the anatomical structures, the neuroimaging field is more common to find works that make use of nonlinear transformations. The main reason is that they facilitate a voxel-wise comparison, not only when studying functional images but also when comparing MRI scans given that they fit better to a reference template. However, the amount of bias introduced by the nonlinear transformations can potentially alter the final outcome of a diagnosis especially when studying functional scans for neurological disorders like Parkinson's Disease. In this context, we have tried to quantify the bias introduced by the affine and the nonlinear spatial registration of FP-CIT SPECT volumes of healthy control subjects and patients with PD. For that purpose, we calculated the deformation fields of each participant and applied these deformation fields to a 3D-grid. As the space between the edges of small cubes comprising the grid change, we can quantify which parts from the brain have been enlarged, compressed or just remain the same. When the nonlinear approach is applied, scans from PD patients show a region near their striatum very similar in shape to that of healthy subjects. This artificially increases the interclass separation between patients with PD and healthy subjects as the local intensity is decreased in the latter region, and leads machine learning systems to biased results due to the artificial information introduced by these deformations.
Complete dominant inheritance of intracellular leucine accumulation traits in polyploid yeasts

The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is widely used for ethanol production. In the production of alcoholic beverages, flavours are affected mainly by yeast metabolism in the fermentation process. To increase the contents of initial scented fruity flavours, such as isoamyl alcohol and isoamyl acetate, leucine accumulation in yeast cells is induced by a decrease of leucine feedback inhibition in the l‐leucine synthetic pathway using conventional mutagenesis. Diploid strains are commonly used in sake brewing because of better fermentation performance, such as vitality and endurance, compared with those of haploid strains. Heterozygous mutations are mostly detected in target genes of brewing yeasts generated through mutation breeding. Here we describe that an allele of the LEU4 gene, LEU4G516S, dominantly induced leucine accumulation even in triploid and tetraploid yeasts as with in diploid yeasts. Importantly, we demonstrated that there is no difference in the intracellular amount of branched‐chain amino acids between LEU4G516S/LEU4 heterozygous diploids and LEU4G516S/LEU4G516S homozygous diploids. The approach to increase isoamyl alcohol and isoamyl acetate by intracellular leucine accumulation can potentially be applied to a variety of yeast strains, including aneuploid and polyploid yeasts.
Self-administration of gender-affirming hormones: a systematic review of effectiveness, cost, and values and preferences of end-users and health workers

Abstract Self-administration of quality gender-affirming hormones is one approach to expanding access to hormone therapy for individuals seeking secondary sex characteristics more aligned with their gender identity or expression and can be empowering when provided within safe, supportive health systems. To inform World Health Organization guidelines on self-care interventions, we systematically reviewed the evidence for self-administration compared to health worker-administration of gender-affirming hormones. We conducted a comprehensive search for peer-reviewed articles and conference abstracts that addressed effectiveness, values and preferences, and cost considerations. Data were extracted in duplicate using standardised forms. Of 3792 unique references, five values and preferences articles were included; no studies met the criteria for the effectiveness or cost reviews. All values and preferences studies focused on self-administration of unprescribed hormones, not prescribed hormones within a supportive health system. Four studies from the U.S. (N = 2), Brazil (N = 1), and the U.K. (N = 1) found that individuals seeking gender-affirming hormone therapy may self-manage due to challenges finding knowledgeable and non-stigmatising health workers, lack of access to appropriate services, exclusion, and discomfort with health workers, cost, and desire for a faster transition. One study from Thailand found health worker perspectives were shaped by restrictive legislation, few transgender-specific services or guidelines, inappropriate communication with health workers, and medical knowledge gaps. There is limited literature on self-administration of gender-affirming hormone therapy. Principles of gender equality and human rights in the delivery of quality gender-affirming hormones are critical to expand access to this important intervention and reduce discrimination based on gender identity.