Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Anatomical liver resection improves surgical outcomes for combined hepatocellular-cholangiocarcinoma: A propensity score matched study

Background The efficacies of anatomical resection (AR) and non-anatomical resection (NAR) in the treatment of combined hepatocellular-cholangiocarcinoma (cHCC-CCA) remain unclear. This study aimed to compare the prognostic outcomes of AR with those of NAR for cHCC-CCA. Method Patients diagnosed with pathology-confirmed cHCC-CCA, and who underwent curative resection at Tongji hospital between January 2010 and December 2019 were included in this retrospective study. A one-to-one propensity score matching (PSM) analysis was used to compare the long-term outcomes of AR to those of NAR. Results A total of 105 patients were analyzed, of whom 48 (45.7%) and 57 (54.3%) underwent AR and NAR, respectively. There were no significant differences in short-term outcomes between the two groups, including duration of postoperative hospital stay, the incidence of perioperative complications, and incidence of 30-day mortality. However, both, the 5-year overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) rates of AR were significantly better than those of NAR (40.5% vs. 22.4%, P=0.002; and 37.3% vs. 14.4%, P=0.002, respectively). Multivariate analysis showed that NAR, multiple tumors, larger-sized tumors (>5 cm), cirrhosis, lymph node metastasis, and vascular invasion were independent risk factors for poor prognoses. Stratified analysis demonstrated similar outcomes following AR versus NAR for patients with tumors > 5cm in diameter, while AR had better survival than NAR in patients with tumors ≤5 cm in diameter. After PSM, when 34 patients from each group were matched, the 5-year OS and RFS rates of AR were still better than those of NAR. Conclusion Patients with cHCC-CCA who underwent AR had better long-term surgical outcomes than those who underwent NAR, especially for those with tumors ≤5 cm in diameter. However, no differences in the risk of surgical complications were detected between the two groups.
Metabolic engineering to enhance the accumulation of bioactive flavonoids licochalcone A and echinatin in Glycyrrhiza inflata (Licorice) hairy roots

Echinatin and licochalcone A (LCA) are valuable chalcones preferentially accumulated in roots and rhizomes of licorice (Glycyrrhiza inflata). The licorice chalcones (licochalcones) are valued for their anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties and have been widely used in cosmetic, pharmaceutical, and food industries. However, echinatin and LCA are accumulated in low quantities, and the biosynthesis and regulation of licochalcones have not been fully elucidated. In this study, we explored the potential of a R2R3-MYB transcription factor (TF) AtMYB12, a known regulator of flavonoid biosynthesis in Arabidopsis, for metabolic engineering of the bioactive flavonoids in G. inflata hairy roots. Overexpression of AtMYB12 in the hairy roots greatly enhanced the production of total flavonoids (threefold), echinatin (twofold), and LCA (fivefold). RNA-seq analysis of AtMYB12-overexpressing hairy roots revealed that expression of phenylpropanoid/flavonoid pathway genes, such as phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), chalcone synthase (CHS), and flavanone 3’-hydroxylase (F3’H), is significantly induced compared to the control. Transient promoter activity assay indicated that AtMYB12 activates the GiCHS1 promoter in plant cells, and mutation to the MYB-binding motif in the GiCHS1 promoter abolished activation. In addition, transcriptomic analysis revealed that AtMYB12 overexpression reprograms carbohydrate metabolism likely to increase carbon flux into flavonoid biosynthesis. Further, AtMYB12 activated the biotic defense pathways possibly by activating the salicylic acid and jasmonic acid signaling, as well as by upregulating WRKY TFs. The transcriptome of AtMYB12-overexpressing hairy roots serves as a valuable source in the identification of potential candidate genes involved in LCA biosynthesis. Taken together, our findings suggest that AtMYB12 is an effective gene for metabolic engineering of valuable bioactive flavonoids in plants.
The essential observations for reconstructing full-depth tidal currents

Based on the modal decomposition and least square method, full-depth tidal currents and corresponding internal tidal modes can be obtained from limited observations. Through a series of experiments based on direct observations at the mooring MP1 and synthetic observations at the moorings MP2 and MP3 in the South China Sea, the essential observations for reconstructing full-depth tidal currents are determined. Both observations in the upper ocean (especially near the thermocline) and deep layer (below 500 m) are essential in the reconstruction. For the upper ocean, an up-looking acoustic Doppler current profiler near the thermocline is generally essential, which can also be replaced by at least 2-4 current meters (CMs). The number of CM depends on the complexity and range of buoyancy frequency variation. For the deep layer, more observations are needed as water depth increases. The observations with the CM interval/water depth ratios about 0.2 can effectively reconstruct full-depth tidal currents below 500 m based on one barotropic mode and first three baroclinic modes. Significantly, the CMs in the middle of the deep layer are more important than those at two ends of the deep layer, which may provide more cost-effective design at a small loss of accuracy. Furthermore, the CMs with the depth interval/water depth ratios less than 1/8 in the deep layer can effectively reconstruct full-depth tidal currents with high-mode baroclinic motions.
Predicting the impacts of palm heart and fruit harvesting using Integral Projection Models

Due to the increasing human impact on natural resources, we assessed the harvesting of non-timber forest products (NTFP) to verify demographic changes in populations of native palm trees. Euterpe edulis is native to the Atlantic Forest in Brazil, characterized by high deforestation and fragmentation. This palm is also targeted for palm heart and fruit harvesting. The threats posed by such factors motivated this study, as they might lead to a decrease in natural populations. The viability of sustainably harvesting the species in small fragmented areas is unknown. We performed simulations for palm heart and fruit harvesting in three small populations (entitled: SH, AJ, and ES) sampled in a 1-year interval (2010–2011) to verify whether these practices were sustainable. Different harvesting scenarios were simulated: (1) no harvesting; (2) harvesting of palm heart of reproductive individuals; (3) harvesting of palm heart of large individuals (diameter at ground level > 65 mm, including reproductive or not). and (4) fruit harvesting. Each scenario was simulated at different harvesting intensities (percentage of individuals or fruits harvested). Integral projection models were used to calculate two demographic parameters, namely, population growth rate (λ) and elasticity. In the no harvesting scenario, the populations had λ > 1 (SH = 1.0655, AJ = 1.0184, and ES = 1.0862). Palm heart harvesting proved to be sustainable in both scenarios, but at a higher intensity in scenario (2) (SH = 83%, AJ = 14%, and ES = 35%) than in scenario (3) (SH = 17%, AJ = 4%, and ES = 16%). Fruit harvesting was sustainable at any intensity for all three populations. As the survival of large individuals has a high impact on λ, palm heart harvesting was in most cases sustainable only at low intensities. In contrast, as fecundity and seedling survival have a low impact on λ, fruit harvesting still proved sustainable at high intensities. Although the populations are tolerant to harvesting to some degree, it must be conducted carefully. As populations are fragile due to the current condition of reduced population size, the removal of palms at any rate can affect population persistence and generate possible cascade effects on the forest.
The gene regulatory role of non-coding RNAs in non-obstructive azoospermia

Non-coding RNAs are classified as small non-coding RNAs, long non-coding RNAs and circular RNAs, which are involved in a variety of biological processes, including cell differentiation, proliferation, apoptosis and pathological conditions of various diseases. Many studies have shown that non-coding RNAs are related to spermatogenesis, maturation, apoptosis, function, etc. In addition, the expression of non-coding RNAs in testicular tissue and semen of patients with non-obstructive azoospermia was different. However, the role of non-coding RNAs in the pathogenesis of non-obstructive azoospermia has not been fully elucidated, and the role of non-coding RNAs in non-obstructive azoospermia is rarely reviewed. Here we summarize the research progress of non-coding RNAs in the pathogenesis of non-obstructive azoospermia.
Neonatal Streptococcus pneumoniae infection induces long-lasting dysbiosis of the gut microbiota in a mouse model

Early life is a “critical window” for gut microbiota development, antibiotic use during this period exerts a profound effect on gut microbial dysbiosis and asthma. In clinical practice, antibiotics are usually used in patients with bacterial infections, we previously showed that neonatal S. pneumoniae pneumonia promoted adult-onset asthma in mice model, while it remains unclear whether neonatal S. pneumoniae infection have long-term effects on gut microbiota. Neonatal BALB/c mice were inoculated with 5*106 CFU D39 to establish non-lethal S. pneumoniae pneumonia model. At 2, 3, 8 weeks of age, feces in the cecum were prepared for 16S rRNA sequencing, lungs were collected for histopathologic and lung function analysis. S. pneumoniae-infected neonatal mice exhibited histopathologic lesions in their lungs and increased airway hyperresponsiveness, obvious alterations in alpha and beta diversities in the entire gut microbiota, and changes of the community structure during the breastfeeding period, infancy, and adulthood. Furthermore, gut microbial composition was modified after neonatal S. pneumoniae infection, with a decreased relative abundance of Lactobacillus in the breastfeeding period and infancy; in adulthood, the relative abundance of Allobaculum diminished while that of Proteobacteria was augmented. Neonatal S. pneumoniae infection induced a long-term alteration in microbial community composition.
Designing for practice: understanding technology use in rural community-based youth mental health contexts

Abstract Social and mobile technologies appear to have remarkable scope to improve the access and quality of remote frontline mental health services. However, their potential has not yet been realised, due in part to an insufficient appreciation of remote mental health care settings as contexts for design. This study reports on a participatory design (PD) process involving mental health practitioners and clients, focusing on three participatory future workshops. Visioning, Scenario building and Mock-up phases encouraged participants to explore: (1.) What is needed and possible? (2.) Where would it fit? Who would use it and why? and (3.) How would it look, feel & function? These activities generated a contextualised understanding of frontline mental health service provision, and the possible roles of technology within it. PD methods were effective in a number of respects: defining domain criteria associated with mental health care; supporting community-based youth mental health professionals to articulate the roles of technology in their work; and identifying new opportunities for technologies in this space. Mental health applications can do more than provide a means of self-tracking or serve as a treatment surrogate; rather they can support clients’ autonomy with respect to self-discovery and direction-setting in treatment and recovery.
Defect in BrMS1, a PHD-finger transcription factor, induces male sterility in ethyl methane sulfonate-mutagenized Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa L. ssp. pekinensis)

Male sterility is an ideal character for the female parent in commercial hybrid seed production in Chinese cabbages. We identified three allele male sterile mutants msm2-1/2/3 in progenies of ethyl methane sulfonate mutagenized Chinese cabbage. It was proved that their male sterilities were controlled by a same recessive nuclear gene. Cytological observation showed that the delayed tapetal programmed cell death (PCD) as well as the abnormal pollen exine and intine led to pollen abortion in these mutants. MutMap combined with KASP analyses showed that BraA10g019050.3C, a homologous gene of AtMS1 encoding a PHD-finger transcription factor and regulated pollen development, was the causal gene. A single-nucleotide mutation from G to A occurred at the 2443th base of BrMS1 in msm2-1 which results in premature termination of the PHD-finger protein translation; a single-nucleotide mutation from G to A existed at 1372th base in msm2-2 that makes for frameshift mutation; a single-nucleotide mutation from G to A distributed at 1887th base in msm2-3 which issues in the amino acid changed from Asp to Asn. The three allelic mutations in BrMS1 all led to the male sterile phenotype, which revealed its function in stamen development. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis indicated that BrMS1 specially expressed in the anther at the early stage of pollen development and its expression level was higher in msm2-1/2/3 than that in the wild-type “FT. ” BrMS1 was located at the nucleus and a length of 12 amino acid residues at the C-terminus had transcriptional activation activity. RNA-seq indicated that the mutation in BrMS1 affected the transcript level of genes related to the tapetum PCD and pollen wall formation, which brought out the pollen abortion. These male sterile mutants we developed provided a novel gene resource for hybrid breeding in Chinese cabbage.
Antioxidant effect of grape seed extract corrects experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis behavioral dysfunctions, demyelination, and glial activation

Background and purpose Multiple sclerosis (MS), a multifactorial autoimmune disease of the central nervous system (CNS), is characterized by demyelination and chronic inflammation, as well as axonal and neuronal loss. There is no cure for MS, and despite a significant improvement in the therapeutic management of patients during the last 20 years, some symptoms are still resistant to treatment, and the evolution of the disease to progressive form seems still ineluctable. The etiology of MS is complex and still not fully understood. However, inflammation is a major driver of physiopathology and oxidative stress contributes to CNS lesions and promotes existing inflammatory response. Plant polyphenols are endowed with many therapeutic benefits through alleviating oxidative stress and inflammation, thus providing neuroprotection in MS. We presently evaluated the curative effect of grape seed extract (GSE) in an experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) mouse model of MS. Experimental approach Six-week-old C57Bl/6J females were subjected to the EAE paradigm (using myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein peptide fragment (35-55), complete Freund’s adjuvant, and pertussis toxin) and then chronically treated with GSE from day 10 to day 30 post-induction. Clinical score and body weight were monitored daily, while evaluation of sensitive, motor, cognitive, and anxiety-related behaviors was performed weekly. Then, the GSE effect was evaluated on whole brain and spinal cord samples through the evaluation of oxidative stress damage, antioxidant capacities, myelin alteration, astroglial and microglial proliferation, and sirtuin expression. Key results Grape seed extract curative chronic treatment corrected the clinical course of EAE, as well as the mechanical hypersensitivity, and avoided the development of EAE mouse thermal cold allodynia. The neuropathological evaluation showed that GSE reduced oxidative stress in the brain and spinal cord by decreasing the lipid and protein oxidation through correction of the three main antioxidant enzyme activities, namely, superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase, as well as restoring normal myelin protein expression and correcting microglial and astroglial protein overexpression and sirtuin downregulation. Conclusion and implications These data strongly support GSE as an effective therapeutic approach in MS treatment.
Exploring the antecedents of trust in electronic word-of-mouth platform: The perspective on gratification and positive emotion

Frequent human-media interaction via the electronic word-of-mouth (e-wom) platform, trust is acknowledged as an ongoing challenge. This study aimed to understand users' trust in the e-wom platform based on uses and gratifications theory and stimulus-organism-response (S-O-R) paradigm. Utilitarian gratification (perceived information quality and perceived privacy protection) was regarded as stimulus, social gratification (sense of social belonging and sense of self-esteem) and positive emotion as organism, and platform trust as response. Data was acquired from 268 users in China using a questionnaire survey, and the PLS-SEM was used to further analyze the results. The results indicated that there is a hierarchy relationship between types of gratifications. That is, utilitarian gratification is a premise of social gratification. Moreover, sense of self-esteem and positive emotion have a mediating effect between perceived information quality and platform trust. Sense of social belonging and positive emotion have a mediating effect between perceived privacy protection and platform trust. This study not only broadened trust between human and media, but also purposed a hierarchy relationship of different types of gratifications in e-wom platform.
Study on multi-objective optimization for nuclear reactor radiation shield design coupling genetic algorithm with paralleling discrete ordinate code

An optimization method combining a genetic algorithm and the paralleling discrete ordinate code is developed and applied to the shielding design of the Savannah reactor. Several approaches are studied to cope with the multi-objective optimization problem, such as transforming into single-objective optimization approach, non-dominated sorting approach, and the approach of adding constraints on sub-objectives. Comparing with the current design methods, the optimization method developed in this study shows better performance since the discrete ordinate calculations are free of statistical fluctuations. The multi-objective optimization approach with constraints on sub-objectives seems to have the best performance. More optimized individuals satisfying the constraints can be obtained, and the optimized objectives show the best improvements comparing with the initial design.
Eucommia ulmoides bark extract reduces blood pressure and inflammation by regulating the gut microbiota and enriching the Parabacteroides strain in high-salt diet and N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester induced mice

Hypertension is a major threat to human health. Eucommia ulmoides Oliv. (EU) is a small tree and EU extract is widely used to improve hypertension in East Asia. However, its major constituents have poor absorption and stay in the gut for a long time. The role of the gut microbiota in the anti-hypertensive effects of EU is unclear. Here, we examined the anti-hypertensive effects of EU in high-salt diet and N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) induced mice. After receiving EU for 6 weeks, the blood pressure was significantly reduced and the kidney injury was improved. Additionally, EU restored the levels of inflammatory cytokines, such as serum interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-17A, and renal IL-17A. The diversity and composition of the gut microbiota were influenced by administration of EU; 40 significantly upregulated and 107 significantly downregulated amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) were identified after administration of EU. ASV403 (Parabacteroides) was selected as a potential anti-hypertensive ASV. Its closest strain XGB65 was isolated. Furthermore, animal studies confirmed that Parabacteroides strain XGB65 exerted anti-hypertensive effects, possibly by reducing levels of inflammatory cytokines, such as renal IL-17A. Our study is the first to report that EU reduces blood pressure by regulating the gut microbiota, and it enriches the Parabacteroides strain, which exerts anti-hypertensive effects. These findings provide directions for developing novel anti-hypertensive treatments by combining probiotics and prebiotics.
Tattoo discrimination in Mexico motivates interest in tattoo removal among structurally vulnerable adults

Tattoos are less prevalent in Mexico and tattooed persons are frequently stigmatized. We examine the prevalence and correlates of interest in receiving tattoo removal services among 278 tattooed Mexican adults living in Tijuana, Mexico who responded to interviewer-administered surveys, including open-ended questions. Overall, 69% of participants were interested in receiving free tattoo removal services, 31% reported facing employment barriers due to their tattoos, and 43% of respondents regretted or disliked some of their tattoos. Having a voter identification card, reporting moderate/severe depression symptoms and believing that tattoo removal would remove employment barriers were independently associated with interest in tattoo removal. Our findings suggest that there is substantial interest in tattoo removal services. Publicly financed tattoo removal services may help disadvantaged persons gain access to Mexico's labor market and it may positively impact other life domains such as mental well-being and interactions with law enforcement.