Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
ACE2 exerts anti-obesity effect via stimulating brown adipose tissue and induction of browning in white adipose tissue.

Angiotensin II (Ang II)/AngII type1 receptor (AT1R) axis is a key player in the pathophysiology of obesity. Angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) counteracts Ang II/AT1R axis via converting Ang II to angiotensin 1-7 (Ang 1-7), which is known to have an anti-obesity effect. In this study, we hypothesized that ACE2 exerts a strong anti-obesity effect by increasing Ang1-7 levels. We injected intraperitoneally recombinant human ACE2 (rhACE2) (2.0mg/ kg/day) for 28 days to high-fat diet (HFD) induced obesity mice. rhACE2 treatment decreased body weight and improved glucose metabolism. Furthermore, rhACE2 increased oxygen consumption and upregulated thermogenesis in HFD-fed mice. In the rhACE2 treatment group, BAT mass increased, accompanied with ameliorated insulin signaling and increased protein levels of UCP-1 and PRDM16. Importantly, subcutaneous white adipose tissue (sWAT) mass decreased, concomitant with browning, which was established by the increase of UCP-1 expression. The browning is due to increased H3K27 acetylation via the downregulation of HDAC3 and increased H3K9 acetylation via upregulation of GCN5 and PCAF. These results suggest that rhACE2 exerts anti-obesity effects by stimulating BAT and inducing browning in sWAT. ACE2 and the Ang 1-7 axis represent a potential therapeutic approach to prevent the development of obesity.
Evaluator perceptions of NGO performance in disasters: meeting multiple institutional demands in humanitarian aid projects

Providing aid in times of increasing humanitarian need, limited budgets, and mounting security risks is challenging. This paper explores in what organisational circumstances evaluators judge, positively and negatively, the performance of international non‐governmental organisations (INGOs) in response to disasters triggered by natural hazards. It assesses whether and how, as perceived by expert evaluators, CARE and Oxfam successfully met multiple institutional requirements concerning beneficiary needs and organisational demands. It utilises the Competing Values Framework to analyse evaluator statements about project performance and organisational control and flexibility issues, using seven CARE and four Oxfam evaluation reports from 2005–11. The reports are compared using fuzzy‐set Qualitative Comparative Analysis. The resulting configurations show that positive evaluations of an INGO's internal and external flexibility relate to satisfying beneficiary needs and organisational demands, whereas negative evaluations of external flexibility pertain to not meeting beneficiary needs and negative statements about internal control concerning not fulfilling organisational demands.
The Extremophile Endolithella mcmurdoensis gen. et sp. nov. (Trebouxiophyceae, Chlorellaceae), A New Chlorella‐like Endolithic Alga From Antarctica

The McMurdo Dry Valleys constitute the largest ice‐free region of Antarctica and one of the most extreme deserts on Earth. Despite the low temperatures, dry and poor soils and katabatic winds, some microbes are able to take advantage of endolithic microenvironments, inhabiting the pore spaces of soil and constituting photosynthesis‐based communities. We isolated a green microalga, Endolithella mcmurdoensis gen. et sp. nov, from an endolithic sandstone sample collected in the McMurdo Dry Valleys (Victoria Land, East Antarctica) during the K020 expedition, in January 2013. The single non‐axenic isolate (E. mcmurdoensis LEGE Z‐009) exhibits cup‐shaped chloroplasts, electron‐dense bodies, and polyphosphate granules but our analysis did not reveal any diagnostic morphological characters. On the basis of phylogenetic analysis of the 18S rRNA (SSU) gene, the isolate was found to represent a new genus within the family Chlorellaceae.
Is a structured work task application for the assessment of work performance in a constructed environment, useful for patients with attention deficits?

Abstract Background The purpose of our study was to develop a Structured Work Task application for the Assessment of Work Performance for patients with attention deficits. Material and methods We developed a computer-based registration task titled the Attention-demanding Registration Task. It had a structured administrative procedure with additional scoring regarding time and accuracy, also linked to the original scoring of the Assessment of Work Performance. We evaluated the Attention-demanding Registration Task for content validity. Furthermore, we investigated it concerning sensitivity and specificity in patients with attention deficits due to acquired brain injury (n = 65) against a comparison group of healthy people (n = 47). Results Our investigation on content validity using the Assessment of Work Characteristics confirmed that the Attention-demanding Registration Task sets high demands on process skills, especially on energy, temporal organization, and adaptation. The Attention-demanding Registration Task showed high sensitivity and specificity in differing between patients with attention deficits and a healthy working group; nine out of ten participants were placed in the correct group. Conclusions To assess work performance, the use of a Structured Work Task application, the Attention-demanding Registration Task, linked with the Assessment of Work Performance, proved to be sensitive to attention deficits. Implications for rehabilitation A Structured Work Task application for the Assessment of Work Performance was developed for use in people with attention deficits and showing a high degree of sensitivity and specificity. Linking performance time and accuracy to the Assessment of Work Performance scoring and providing a guide for linking task performance to the Assessment of Work Performance skills in addition to the usual observations performed, may increase scoring accuracy. Reference data for a comparison group of healthy subjects are provided. The use of the Attention demanding Registration Task, while using the Assessment of Work Performance within clinical practice ensures a more accurate description of process skills in performance.
Genomic Basis of Convergent Island Phenotypes in Boa Constrictors

Abstract Convergent evolution is often documented in organisms inhabiting isolated environments with distinct ecological conditions and similar selective regimes. Several Central America islands harbor dwarf Boa populations that are characterized by distinct differences in growth, mass, and craniofacial morphology, which are linked to the shared arboreal and feast-famine ecology of these island populations. Using high-density RADseq data, we inferred three dwarf island populations with independent origins and demonstrate that selection, along with genetic drift, has produced both divergent and convergent molecular evolution across island populations. Leveraging whole-genome resequencing data for 20 individuals and a newly annotated Boa genome, we identify four genes with evidence of phenotypically relevant protein-coding variation that differentiate island and mainland populations. The known roles of these genes involved in body growth (PTPRS, DMGDH, and ARSB), circulating fat and cholesterol levels (MYLIP), and craniofacial development (DMGDH and ARSB) in mammals link patterns of molecular evolution with the unique phenotypes of these island forms. Our results provide an important genome-wide example for quantifying expectations of selection and convergence in closely related populations. We also find evidence at several genomic loci that selection may be a prominent force of evolutionary change—even for small island populations for which drift is predicted to dominate. Overall, while phenotypically convergent island populations show relatively few loci under strong selection, infrequent patterns of molecular convergence are still apparent and implicate genes with strong connections to convergent phenotypes.
Stabilization of Solvent to α-Sheet Structure and Conversion Between α-Sheet and β-Sheet in the Fibrillation Process of Amyloid Peptide.

Alpha-sheet conformation has been proposed to exist as an intermediate conformational component and mediate the fibrillar assemblies of amyloid proteins at certain conditions. However, less attention has been paid to this form of conformation in the studies of the mechanism of amyloidosis because there is insufficient evidence for the existence of α-sheet intermediate and the transition from α-sheet intermediate to β-sheet fibril. Herein, we characterized the structures of a D,L-alternating amyloidogenic decapeptide under different conditions and studied the structural conversion between α-sheet and β-sheet in the fibrillation processes of the peptide. We obtained for the first time the image of α-sheet structured fibrils in aqueous solution and found the essential role of water molecules in the stabilization of the α-sheet structure. We also provided experimental evidence of the structural conversion from α-sheet to β-sheet in the peptide aggregates.
Xylem embolism in leaves does not occur with open stomata: evidence from direct observations using the optical visualisation technique.

Drought represents a major abiotic constraint to plant growth and survival. On one hand, plants keep stomata open for efficient carbon assimilation, while on the other hand, they close them to prevent permanent hydraulic impairment from xylem embolism. The order of occurrence of these two processes (stomatal closure and the onset of leaf embolism) during plant dehydration has remained controversial, largely due to methodological limitations. However, the newly developed Optical Visualisation (OV) method now allows concurrent monitoring of stomatal behaviour and leaf embolism formation in intact plants. We used this new approach directly by dehydrating intact saplings of three contrasting tree species and indirectly by conducting a literature survey across a greater range of plant taxa. Our results indicate that increasing water stress generates the onset of leaf embolism consistently after stomatal closure, and that the lag time between these processes (i.e. the safety margin) increases with increasing embolism resistance. This suggests that during water stress, embolism-mediated declines in leaf hydraulic conductivity are unlikely to act as a signal for stomatal down-regulation. Instead, these species converge towards a strategy of closing stomata early to prevent water loss and delay catastrophic xylem dysfunction.
Recognizing five molecular ligand‐binding sites with similar chemical structure

Accurate identification of ligand‐binding sites and discovering the protein–ligand interaction mechanism are important for understanding proteins' functions and designing new drugs. Meanwhile, accurate computational prediction and mechanism research are two grand challenges in proteomics. In this article, ligand‐binding residues of five ligands (ATP, ADP, GTP, GDP, and NAD) are predicted as a group, due to their similar chemical structures and close biological function relations. The data set of binding sites by five ligands (ATP, ADP, GTP, GDP, and NAD) are collated from Biolip database. Then, five features, containing increment of diversity value, matrix scoring value, auto‐covariance, secondary structure information, and surface accessibility information are used in binding site predictions. The support vector machine (SVM) model is used with the five features to predict ligand‐binding sites. Finally, prediction results are tested by fivefold cross validation. Accuracy (Acc) of five ligands (ATP, ADP, GTP, GDP, and NAD) achieves 77.4%, 71.2%, 82.1%, 82.9%, and 85.3%, respectively; and Matthew correlation coefficient (MCC) of the above five ligands achieves 0.549, 0.424, 0.643, 0.659, and 0.702, respectively. The research result shows that for ligands with similar chemical structures, microenvironment of their binding sites and their sensitivities to features are similar, while, differences of their ligand‐binding properties exist at the same time. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
HR‐pQCT Measures of Bone Microarchitecture Predict Fracture: Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis

High‐resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR‐pQCT) is a noninvasive imaging modality for assessing volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD) and microarchitecture of cancellous and cortical bone. The objective was to (1) assess fracture‐associated differences in HR‐pQCT bone parameters; and (2) to determine if HR‐pQCT is sufficiently precise to reliably detect these differences in individuals. We systematically identified 40 studies that used HR‐pQCT (39/40 used XtremeCT scanners) to assess 1291 to 3253 and 3389 to 10,687 individuals with and without fractures, respectively, ranging in age from 10.9 to 84.7 years with no comorbid conditions. Parameters describing radial and tibial bone density, microarchitecture, and strength were extracted and percentage differences between fracture and control subjects were estimated using a random effects meta‐analysis. An additional meta‐analysis of short‐term in vivo reproducibility of bone parameters assessed by XtremeCT was conducted to determine whether fracture‐associated differences exceeded the least significant change (LSC) required to discern measured differences from precision error. Radial and tibial HR‐pQCT parameters, including failure load, were significantly altered in fracture subjects, with differences ranging from −2.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] −3.4 to −1.9) in radial cortical vBMD to −12.6% (95% CI −15.0 to −10.3) in radial trabecular vBMD. Fracture‐associated differences reported by prospective studies were consistent with those from retrospective studies, indicating that HR‐pQCT can predict incident fracture. Assessment of study quality, heterogeneity, and publication biases verified the validity of these findings. Finally, we demonstrated that fracture‐associated deficits in total and trabecular vBMD and certain tibial cortical parameters can be reliably discerned from HR‐pQCT‐related precision error and can be used to detect fracture‐associated differences in individual patients. Although differences in other HR‐pQCT measures, including failure load, were significantly associated with fracture, improved reproducibility is needed to ensure reliable individual cross‐sectional screening and longitudinal monitoring. In conclusion, our study supports the use of HR‐pQCT in clinical fracture prediction. © 2019 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
IL‐17 alters the mesenchymal stem cell niche towards osteogenesis in cooperation with osteocytes

Bone remodeling is a strictly regulated dynamic process that cycles between bone formation and resorption, and interleukin‐17 (IL‐17) critically orchestrates the activation and differentiation of both osteoblasts and osteoclasts. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) within their native environment receive biochemical stimuli from surrounding cells that influences their differentiation into bone precursors, while the roles of osteocytes in regulating the osteogenic differentiation of MSCs remain unclear. This study investigated the specific roles of IL‐17 signaling cascades and osteocyte‐specific pathways in the osteogenesis of MSCs. Using a transwell coculture (CC) system, we explored the effects of osteocytes and osteoblasts on the osteogenesis of MSCs with and without IL‐17 supplementation. A polycaprolactone (PCL) three‐dimensional (3D) culture model was used to evaluate their osteogenic potential in the presence of osteocytes and IL‐17. Notably, IL‐17 induced osteogenesis in MSCs, which could be attenuated by blocking IL‐17 receptor A. The osteogenic differentiation of MSCs promoted by IL‐17 was further enhanced by CC with osteocytes. Moreover, proinflammatory cytokines IL‐6 and IL‐1β played an important role in IL‐17‐dependent differentiation, via the phosphorylation of AKT, signal transducer and activator of transcription 3, and extracellular signal‐regulated kinase 1/2 signaling pathways in the MSC niche. The present study confirms a synergistic effect of osteocytes and IL‐17 in the production of biochemical signals to stimulate the osteogenic differentiation of MSCs, which could be further promoted in the PCL 3D‐scaffold. These findings provide important insight into the mechanisms of MSCs activation and osteogenic differentiation within the native stem cell niche, and suggest a possible role of IL‐17 in bone tissue engineering.
Beta‐band oscillations play an essential role in motor–auditory interactions

In the human brain, self‐generated auditory stimuli elicit smaller cortical responses compared to externally generated sounds. This sensory attenuation is thought to result from predictions about the sensory consequences of self‐generated actions that rely on motor commands. Previous research has implicated brain oscillations in this process. However, the specific role of these oscillations in motor–auditory interactions during sensory attenuation is still unclear. In this study, we aimed at addressing this question by using magnetoencephalography (MEG). We recorded MEG in 20 healthy participants during listening to passively presented and self‐generated tones. Our results show that the magnitude of sensory attenuation in bilateral auditory areas is significantly correlated with the modulation of beta‐band (15–30 Hz) amplitude in the motor cortex. Moreover, we observed a significant directional coupling (Granger causality) in beta‐band originating from the motor cortex toward bilateral auditory areas. Our findings indicate that beta‐band oscillations play an important role in mediating top–down interactions between motor and auditory cortex and, in our paradigm, suppress cortical responses to predicted sensory input.
Resting-State fMRI Study of ADHD and Internet Gaming Disorder

Objective: We aimed to understand whether Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Internet gaming disorder (IGD) share similar brain functional connectivity (FC) between the frontal and subcortices. Method: We compared changes in clinical symptoms and brain activity using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in 26 patients with ADHD but without IGD, 29 patients with ADHD and IGD, and 20 patients with IGD but without ADHD. Results: The functional connectivity (FC) from the cortex to subcortex in both groups was decreased relative to that in age-matched healthy participants. One-year treatment for ADHD and IGD symptoms increased the FC between the cortex and subcortex in all ADHD participants and all IGD participants with good prognoses compared with those in all ADHD participants and all IGD participants with poor prognoses. Conclusion: Patients with ADHD and IGD shared similar brain FC at baseline and FC changes in response to treatment.
Phenotypes of Hypertensive Ambulatory Blood Pressure Patterns: Design and Rationale of the ECHORN Hypertension Study.

Objective To describe the rationale and design of a prospective study of ambulatory blood pressure measurement (ABPM) combined with measurement of contextual factors to identify hypertensive phenotypes in a Caribbean population with high rates of HTN and cardiovascular disease. Design Prospective, multi-center sub-study. Setting Eastern Caribbean Health Outcomes Research Network Cohort (ECHORN) Study, with study sites in Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, Trinidad and Tobago, and Barbados. Participants Community-residing adults without a diagnosis of HTN and not taking antihypertensive medication. Intervention Ambulatory BP patterns are assessed using 24-hour ABPM. Contextual factors are assessed with: ecological momentary assessment (7-item survey of experiences, exposures and responses associated with daytime BP measurements); actigraphy (capturing physical activity and sleep quality); and self-report surveys (assessing physical and social health, environmental and social stressors and supports). Main Outcome Measures Phenotypes of contextual factors associated with hypertensive BP patterns (sustained HTN, masked HTN, and nocturnal non-dipping). Methods and Results This study will enroll 500 participants; assessments of blood pressure and contextual factors will be conducted during Waves 2 and 3 of the ECHORN parent study, occurring 2 years apart. In Wave 2, we will assess the association between contextual factors and ABPM patterns. Using advanced analytic clustering methods, we will identify phenotypes of contextual factors associated with hypertensive ABPM patterns. We will then test the stability of these phenotypes and their ability to predict change in ABPM patterns between Waves 2 and 3. Conclusions Assessment of ABPM, and the contextual factors influencing ABPM, can identify unique phenotypes of HTN, which can then be used to develop more precision-based approaches to the prevention, detection and treatment of HTN in high-risk populations.
Clinical utility of contrast‐enhanced ultrasonography in the diagnosis of benign and malignant small renal masses among Asian population

We assessed the clinical utility of contrast‐enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) in the diagnosis of benign and malignant small renal masses using a meta‐analysis of diagnostic test. We performed a comprehensive online search in the following database including PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Wanfang, and Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure from the inception to August 25, 2019. the following index were calculated for assessing the diagnostic ability, including sensitivity, specificity, diagnostic odds ratio (DOR), negative likelihood ratio (NLR), positive likelihood ratio (PLR), area under the curve (AUC) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Seventeen studies were included in the qualitative and quantitative analyses. The overall sensitivity was 0.93 with 95% CI of 0.88‐0.95. The specificity was 0.71 and the 95% CI was 0.60‐0.80. The pooled AUC was 0.91 (95% CI: 0.88‐0.93). The diagnostic odds ratio was 31 (95% CI: 21‐45). The NLR and PLR were 0.10 (95% CI: 0.07‐0.15) and 3.2(95% CI: 2.3‐4.4), respectively. There is a slight heterogeneity within studies. The subgroup analysis was also performed. For retrospective and perspective, the sensitivity and specificity were 0.93, 0.92 and 0.71, 0.73; For different diameter lesions, the sensitivity and specificity were 0.93, 0.94 and 0.64, 0.74; For sample size (≤median vs. >median), the sensitivity and specificity were 0.94, 0.93 and 0.67, 0.77. The Deek's funnel plot asymmetry test in indicated no publication bias. The CEUS have a high diagnostic ability in differentiating benign and malignant small renal masses among Asian population.