Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Biomarker evaluation under imperfect nested case‐control design

The nested case‐control (NCC) design has been widely adopted as a cost‐effective sampling design for biomarker research. Under the NCC design, markers are only measured for the NCC subcohort consisting of all cases and a fraction of the controls selected randomly from the matched risk sets of the cases. Robust methods for evaluating prediction performance of risk models have been derived under the inverse probability weighting framework. The probabilities of samples being included in the NCC cohort can be calculated based on the study design ``a previous study'' or estimated non‐parametrically ``a previous study''. Neither strategy works well due to model mis‐specification and the curse of dimensionality in practical settings where the sampling does not entirely follow the study design or depends on many factors. In this paper, we propose an alternative strategy to estimate the sampling probabilities based on a varying coefficient model, which attains a balance between robustness and the curse of dimensionality. The complex correlation structure induced by repeated finite risk set sampling makes the standard resampling procedure for variance estimation fail. We propose a perturbation resampling procedure that provides valid interval estimation for the proposed estimators. Simulation studies show that the proposed method performs well in finite samples. We apply the proposed method to the Nurses' Health Study II to develop and evaluate prediction models using clinical biomarkers for cardiovascular risk.
Modeling the Potential Future Distribution of Anthrax Outbreaks under Multiple Climate Change Scenarios for Kenya

The climate is changing, and such changes are projected to cause global increase in the prevalence and geographic ranges of infectious diseases such as anthrax. There is limited knowledge in the tropics with regards to expected impacts of climate change on anthrax outbreaks. We determined the future distribution of anthrax in Kenya with representative concentration pathways (RCP) 4.5 and 8.5 for year 2055. Ecological niche modelling (ENM) of boosted regression trees (BRT) was applied in predicting the potential geographic distribution of anthrax for current and future climatic conditions. The models were fitted with presence-only anthrax occurrences (n = 178) from historical archives (2011–2017), sporadic outbreak surveys (2017–2018), and active surveillance (2019–2020). The selected environmental variables in order of importance included rainfall of wettest month, mean precipitation (February, October, December, July), annual temperature range, temperature seasonality, length of longest dry season, potential evapotranspiration and slope. We found a general anthrax risk areal expansion i.e., current, 36,131 km2, RCP 4.5, 40,012 km2, and RCP 8.5, 39,835 km2. The distribution exhibited a northward shift from current to future. This prediction of the potential anthrax distribution under changing climates can inform anticipatory measures to mitigate future anthrax risk.
Gene Pool of Winter Wheat from the World Collection of N.I. Vavilov Institute of Plant Industry (VIR) for Biotic Stress Resistance

This paper presents the results of the 50 year-long research into the winter wheat gene pool from the VIR world collection in the Moscow region to assess biotic stress resistance following N.I. Vavilov’s concept of the ‘ideal variety’, proposed in 1935. The Federal Scientific Selection and Technology Center for Horticulture and Nursery was responsible for the field studies of winter wheat, and the All-Russian Research Institute of Phytopathology and Russian State Agrarian University—Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural Academy—for phytopathological studies. The wheat collection was studied in compliance with the VIR Methodological Guidelines using the International COMECON list of descriptors for the genus Triticum L. Resistance against the enzyme–mycotic depletion of seeds (EMDS) was tested using original techniques. It was found that annual brown rust and powdery mildew attacks in the collection’s winter wheat samples caused no significant economic damage. One case of Septoria head and leaf blotch, two cases of Fusarium head blight, one case of root rot, one case of barley yellow dwarf virus, 20 cases of EMDS, and three cases of 3rd-degree EMDS, i.e., seed germination in an ear, were recorded. The parent material resistant to the biotic stresses of the region was selected for breeding. Domestic breeders have created outstanding wheat varieties close to the ‘ideal’ as noted by N.I. Vavilov.
Salmonella Gallinarum in Small-Scale Commercial Layer Flocks: Occurrence, Molecular Diversity and Antibiogram

Salmonella Gallinarum is one of the most important bacterial pathogens associated with diminished egg production in poultry. The aim of this study was to understand the occurrence, molecular traits and antimicrobial resistance patterns of Salmonella Gallinarum strains isolated from small-scale commercial layer flocks with low level biosecurity standards in Bangladesh. A total of 765 samples, including cloacal swabs (535), visceral organs (50), and droppings (180), were collected from chickens of 12 layer flocks in 11 districts. Salmonella Gallinarum was isolated and characterized through culture-based method, followed by biochemical tests, sero-grouping, PCR assays, sequencing, and antibiogram. The identity of biochemically detected isolates of Salmonella Gallinarum was confirmed via genus-specific 16S rRNA gene based PCR, followed by invA and spvC genes based PCR assays. Occurrence of Salmonella Gallinarum was detected in overall 25.75% (197/765) samples, with a significantly (p < 0.05) higher incidence in visceral organs (42%) in comparison to cloacal swab (24%) and droppings (26%). Sequencing and subsequent phylogenetic analysis of invA and spvC genes in representative strains of Salmonella Gallinarum revealed a close genetic lineage, with a sequence similarity of 98.05–99.21% and 97.51–99.45%, respectively, to previously published sequences of the corresponding genes from the same serogroup strains. Remarkably, 66.5% (131/197) of the isolated strains of Salmonella Gallinarum were found to be resistant to 3 to 6 antimicrobial agents, and interpreted as multidrug resistant (MDR). The findings of this study underscore an inherent need of appropriate control measures to curb the widespread incidence of MDR Salmonella Gallinarum in small-scale commercial layer flocks, thereby, facilitating enhanced egg production and further support to the food security and safety in low resource settings.
Machine Learning Meets with Metal Organic Frameworks for Gas Storage and Separation

The acceleration in design of new metal organic frameworks (MOFs) has led scientists to focus on high-throughput computational screening (HTCS) methods to quickly assess the promises of these fascinating materials in various applications. HTCS studies provide a massive amount of structural property and performance data for MOFs, which need to be further analyzed. Recent implementation of machine learning (ML), which is another growing field in research, to HTCS of MOFs has been very fruitful not only for revealing the hidden structure–performance relationships of materials but also for understanding their performance trends in different applications, specifically for gas storage and separation. In this review, we highlight the current state of the art in ML-assisted computational screening of MOFs for gas storage and separation and address both the opportunities and challenges that are emerging in this new field by emphasizing how merging of ML and MOF simulations can be useful.
A Peculiar Distribution of the Emerging Nematode Angiostrongylus cantonensis in the Canary Islands (Spain): Recent Introduction or Isolation Effect?

Simple Summary Angiostrongylus cantonensis, commonly known as the rat lungworm, is considered the leading cause of eosinophilic meningitis in humans. It is an emerging zoonotic parasite, endemic to the temperate and tropical zones of the Far East, Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands, that has expanded to all continents with the exception of Antarctica. Considering the recent finding of this parasite in rats from the Canary Islands, the aim of this study was to determine its current distribution in these islands in order to highlight the risk sources for angiostrongyliasis in the archipelago. We also analyzed the environmental conditions that could determine distribution. A. cantonensis was detected in only one of the eight islands that constitute this archipelago, i.e., in the north part of the island, which presents better environmental conditions than the south for the parasite to establish itself. This limited distribution could indicate a recent introduction of the parasite in the Canaries or an isolation effect that has not allowed the expansion to the other islands. The presence of A. cantonensis implies risks for humans and other animals that justify the need of control measures to prevent the expansion to other similar areas of the archipelago. Abstract Angiostrongylus cantonensis is an emerging zoonotic nematode recognized as the leading cause of eosinophilic meningitis in the word. After its discovery in China, it was recorded in 30 countries worldwide. Recently, it has expanded to new areas such as South America and it has been recently found in the Atlantic island of Tenerife (Canary Islands). In order to characterize the distribution of A. cantonensis in the Canary Islands, the lungs of 1462 rodents were sampled in eight islands of the archipelago over 13 years and were then analyzed for A. cantonensis. Remarkably, the parasite was detected only in Tenerife, in Rattus rattus (19.7%) and Rattus norvegicus (7.14%). They were concretely in the northern part of the island, which had a warmer and more humid climate than the south and main cities. The absence of this nematode in other islands with similar environmental conditions could be explained by an isolation effect or by a recent introduction of the parasite in the islands. Besides, the presence in Tenerife of the most invasive lineage of A. cantonensis reinforced the hypothesis of a recent introduction on this island. This study highlights the need to implement control measures to prevent the expansion to other areas in order to avoid the transmission to humans and other animals.
The Recognition of Cross-Cultural Emotional Faces Is Affected by Intensity and Ethnicity in a Japanese Sample

Human faces convey a range of emotions and psychobiological signals that support social interactions. Multiple factors potentially mediate the facial expressions of emotions across cultures. To further determine the mechanisms underlying human emotion recognition in a complex and ecological environment, we hypothesized that both behavioral and neurophysiological measures would be influenced by stimuli ethnicity (Japanese, Caucasian) in the context of ambiguous emotional expressions (mid-happy, angry). We assessed the neurophysiological and behavioral responses of neurotypical Japanese adults (N = 27, 13 males) involved in a facial expression recognition task. Results uncover an interaction between universal and culturally-driven mechanisms. No differences in behavioral responses are found between male and female participants, male and female faces, and neutral Japanese versus Caucasian faces. However, Caucasian ambiguous emotional expressions which require more energy-consuming processing, as highlighted by neurophysiological results of the Arousal Index, were judged more accurately than Japanese ones. Additionally, a differential Frontal Asymmetry Index in neuronal activation, the signature of an approach versus avoidance response, is found in male participants according to the gender and emotional valence of the stimuli.
Determinazione dei sulfamidici nelle carni e nei prodotti carnei

An analytical method is described for the determination of 15 sulfonamides in meat products. It is based upon extraction by Acetone/Methylen chloride, liquid-liquid defatting and cleanup. The identification is performed by High Pressure Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), with gradient pump and fluorimetric detector, after derivatization with Fluorescamine at pH 3.0. The limit of detection, under the condition here reported, is in the range 0.002 and 0.010 mg/kg, depending on the various sensitivity.
Polycystin-2 Is Required for Chondrocyte Mechanotransduction and Traffics to the Primary Cilium in Response to Mechanical Stimulation

Primary cilia and associated intraflagellar transport are essential for skeletal development, joint homeostasis, and the response to mechanical stimuli, although the mechanisms remain unclear. Polycystin-2 (PC2) is a member of the transient receptor potential polycystic (TRPP) family of cation channels, and together with Polycystin-1 (PC1), it has been implicated in cilia-mediated mechanotransduction in epithelial cells. The current study investigates the effect of mechanical stimulation on the localization of ciliary polycystins in chondrocytes and tests the hypothesis that they are required in chondrocyte mechanosignaling. Isolated chondrocytes were subjected to mechanical stimulation in the form of uniaxial cyclic tensile strain (CTS) in order to examine the effects on PC2 ciliary localization and matrix gene expression. In the absence of strain, PC2 localizes to the chondrocyte ciliary membrane and neither PC1 nor PC2 are required for ciliogenesis. Cartilage matrix gene expression (Acan, Col2a) is increased in response to 10% CTS. This response is inhibited by siRNA-mediated loss of PC1 or PC2 expression. PC2 ciliary localization requires PC1 and is increased in response to CTS. Increased PC2 cilia trafficking is dependent on the activation of transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily V member 4 (TRPV4) activation. Together, these findings demonstrate for the first time that polycystins are required for chondrocyte mechanotransduction and highlight the mechanosensitive cilia trafficking of PC2 as an important component of cilia-mediated mechanotransduction.
Toxoplasmic Lymphadenitis Presenting as a Tiny Neck Tumor

(1) Background: Toxoplasmic lymphadenitis (TL), caused by the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii, is a worldwide zoonosis. We report a case of TL in the head and neck region diagnosed using ultrasound (US)-guided fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC), serological tests, and pathological findings. (2) Case Presentation: A 51-year-old female with a chief complaint of a left posterior neck mass that had been growing for approximately 2 weeks. TL was confirmed by histopathological examinations and serological tests. US-guided FNAC and en bloc resection of the lymph node were performed. The diagnosis was confirmed as TL in the neck. (3) Conclusions: We suggest that US-guided FNAC should be considered as the first-line test for assessing a tiny mass before a definitive treatment is chosen.
Band-Pass Filtering Cross-Polarization Converter Using Transmitarrays

Microwave devices with polarization conversion and band-pass filtering response have great application prospects on radomes. Here, the concepts of band-pass filters and cross-polarization converters are combined to realize a band-pass filtering cross-polarization converter with an extremely high polarization-conversion ratio. Most importantly, the device has an excellent out-of-band rejection level, above 30 and 40 dB for the lower and upper edges, respectively. In addition, the transmission zeros of the passband can be flexibly tuned independently. The band-pass filtering polarization converter was simulated, fabricated, and measured, and the measured results were found to be in good agreement with the simulation results.
Targeting Ferroptosis against Ischemia/Reperfusion Cardiac Injury

Ischemic heart disease is a leading cause of death worldwide. Primarily, ischemia causes decreased oxygen supply, resulting in damage of the cardiac tissue. Naturally, reoxygenation has been recognized as the treatment of choice to recover blood flow through primary percutaneous coronary intervention. This treatment is the gold standard therapy to restore blood flow, but paradoxically it can also induce tissue injury. A number of different studies in animal models of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) suggest that ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) accounts for up to 50% of the final myocardial infarct size. Oxidative stress plays a critical role in the pathological process. Iron is an essential mineral required for a variety of vital biological functions but also has potentially toxic effects. A detrimental process induced by free iron is ferroptosis, a non-apoptotic type of programmed cell death. Accordingly, efforts to prevent ferroptosis in pathological settings have focused on the use of radical trapping antioxidants (RTAs), such as liproxstatin-1 (Lip-1). Hence, it is necessary to develop novel strategies to prevent cardiac IRI, thus improving the clinical outcome in patients with ischemic heart disease. The present review analyses the role of ferroptosis inhibition to prevent heart IRI, with special reference to Lip-1 as a promising drug in this clinicopathological context.
The Heating Efficiency and Imaging Performance of Magnesium Iron Oxide@tetramethyl Ammonium Hydroxide Nanoparticles for Biomedical Applications

Multifunctional magnetic nanomaterials displaying high specific loss power (SLP) and high imaging sensitivity with good spatial resolution are highly desired in image-guided cancer therapy. Currently, commercial nanoparticles do not sufficiently provide such multifunctionality. For example, Resovist® has good image resolution but with a low SLP, whereas BNF® has a high SLP value with very low image resolution. In this study, hydrophilic magnesium iron oxide@tetramethyl ammonium hydroxide nanoparticles were prepared in two steps. First, hydrophobic magnesium iron oxide nanoparticles were fabricated using a thermal decomposition technique, followed by coating with tetramethyl ammonium hydroxide. The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized using XRD, DLS, TEM, zeta potential, UV-Vis spectroscopy, and VSM. The hyperthermia and imaging properties of the prepared nanoparticles were investigated and compared to the commercial nanoparticles. One-dimensional magnetic particle imaging indicated the good imaging resolution of our nanoparticles. Under the application of a magnetic field of frequency 614.4 kHz and strength 9.5 kA/m, nanoparticles generated heat with an SLP of 216.18 W/g, which is much higher than that of BNF (14 W/g). Thus, the prepared nanoparticles show promise as a novel dual-functional magnetic nanomaterial, enabling both high performance for hyperthermia and imaging functionality for diagnostic and therapeutic processes.
Targeting Cancer Stem Cells with Differentiation Agents as an Alternative to Genotoxic Chemotherapy for the Treatment of Malignant Testicular Germ Cell Tumors

Simple Summary Testicular germ cell tumors (TGCTs) are the most common solid malignancy in young men. Fortunately, these tumors are highly curable with conventional genotoxic chemotherapy. However, because these chemotherapeutics have significant short- and long-term side effects, less toxic treatment options are desired. We report that thioridazine, an FDA-approved antipsychotic, differentiates embryonal carcinoma (EC) cells, the cancer stem cells of many malignant TGCTs, and suppresses their tumor propagating activity. Additionally, thioridazine treatment of mice with EC-containing neoplasms extends survival relative to untreated control mice. These findings identify thioridazine as a promising alternative or adjuvant to chemotherapy for the treatment of TGCTs. Abstract Testicular germ cell tumors (TGCTs) are exceptionally sensitive to genotoxic chemotherapy, resulting in a high cure rate for the young men presenting with these malignancies. However, this treatment is associated with significant toxicity, and a subset of malignant TGCTs demonstrate chemoresistance. Mixed nonseminomas often contain pluripotent embryonal carcinoma (EC) cells, the cancer stem cells (CSCs) of these tumors. We hypothesized that differentiation therapy, a treatment strategy which aims to induce differentiation of tumor-propagating CSCs to slow tumor growth, could effectively treat mixed nonseminomas without significant toxicity. The FDA-approved antipsychotic thioridazine and the agricultural antibiotic salinomycin are two drugs previously found to selectively target CSCs, and here we report that these agents differentiate EC cells in vitro and greatly reduce their tumorigenic potential in vivo. Using a novel transformed induced pluripotent stem cell allograft model and a human xenograft model, we show that thioridazine extends the survival of tumor-bearing mice and can reduce the number of pluripotent EC cells within tumors. These results suggest that thioridazine could be repurposed as an alternative TGCT treatment that avoids the toxicity of conventional chemotherapeutics.
Disentangling longitudinal trajectories of racial discrimination and critical action among Black and Latinx college students: What role do peers play?

Objectives: Critical action (sociopolitical action to combat social inequity) provides racially marginalized youth with a pathway to coping. Sociocultural factors (like experiences of racial discrimination and contact with racially marginalized peers) are integral for fostering critical action among racially marginalized youth, yet few empirical studies have explored these relationships longitudinally. This study examines: (a) longitudinal trajectories of critical action and racial discrimination among Black and Latinx college students, (b) whether racial discrimination or critical action predict the other's longitudinal trajectory, and (c) whether having Black and Latinx friends and ethnic-racial club participation strengthen these relationships. Method: These trajectories were assessed by estimating growth models with a longitudinal sample of 504 Black and Latinx college students. Results: Analyses revealed that racial discrimination significantly increased over the first 2 years of college, whereas critical action significantly declined. Additionally, racial discrimination predicted changes in critical action, but critical action did not predict changes in racial discrimination. Ethnic-racial club participation slowed the decline of critical action. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that the transition to college is associated with changes in racial discrimination and critical action and these trajectories are enhanced by ethnic-racial club participation. Implications of these findings are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).
Nasal Epithelial Cell-Based Models for Individualized Study in Cystic Fibrosis

The emergence of highly effective CFTR modulator therapy has led to significant improvements in health care for most patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). For some, however, these therapies remain inaccessible due to the rarity of their individual CFTR variants, or due to a lack of biologic activity of the available therapies for certain variants. One proposed method of addressing this gap is the use of primary human cell-based models, which allow preclinical therapeutic testing and physiologic assessment of relevant tissue at the individual level. Nasal cells represent one such tissue source and have emerged as a powerful model for individual disease study. The ex vivo culture of nasal cells has evolved over time, and modern nasal cell models are beginning to be utilized to predict patient outcomes. This review will discuss both historical and current state-of-the art use of nasal cells for study in CF, with a particular focus on the use of such models to inform personalized patient care.