Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Relationship Between High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein and Long-Term Outcomes in Elderly Patients With 3-Vessel Disease

The prognostic value of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) in complex coronary artery disease has not been fully established. We aimed to determine the association between hsCRP and long-term outcomes in elderly patients with 3-vessel disease (TVD). From April 2004 to February 2011, 3069 patients aged ≥65 years with TVD were consecutively enrolled and received medical treatment alone, percutaneous coronary intervention, or coronary artery bypass grafting. The patients were divided into 2 groups according to their hsCRP levels: <3.00 mg/L (62.1%) and ≥3.00 mg/L (37.9%). The mean age was 71 ± 4 years. The high hsCRP group had more risk factors and more frequently received conservative treatment than the low hsCRP group. During a median follow-up period of 6.2 years, elevated hsCRP was significantly associated with increased all-cause death (19.5% vs 29.6%, P < .001), cardiac death (9.4% vs 15.2%, P = .001), and major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (34.1% vs 42.5%, P = .001). Multivariable Cox regression analyses revealed that hsCRP was an independent predictor for all of these events. Combining hsCRP with Synergy between PCI with TAXUS and Cardiac Surgery score II further improved the predictive power of the score. The relationship between hsCRP and mortality was relatively consistent across subgroups. Overall, hsCRP could prove useful for risk prediction in elderly patients.
Positive memory intervention techniques: a scoping review

ABSTRACT The scoping review examines and summarises the available knowledge base on intervention techniques focused on positive memories. An iterative series of PsycInfo and Medline searches was conducted up to April 2021 following PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Thirty-nine studies, spanning 12 intervention techniques, were selected and described including: (1) theoretical basis; (2) type of study, sample, and measures; (3) intervention protocol; and (4) results of empirical studies if applicable. Results indicated that most techniques have only been tested in one-two studies with modest sample sizes and, when follow-ups are conducted, they are typically short. Results indicate that working with positive memories has the greatest impact on improving positive affect and reducing depressive symptoms, and that these effects are often temporary. This review serves as a quick reference guide to help professionals’ access to descriptions and information on empirical evidence of positive memory techniques, improving their therapeutic arsenal to enhance well-being and therapeutic outcomes in their patients.
Gene Expression Signature Correlates with Outcomes in Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Patients Treated with Everolimus Alone or with a Vascular Disrupting Agent

Everolimus monotherapy use for metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) has diminished due to recent approvals of immune checkpoint and VEGF inhibitors. We hypothesized that gene expression associated with everolimus benefit may provide rationale to select appropriate patients. To address this hypothesis, tumors from a phase I/II trial that compared everolimus alone or with BNC105P, a vascular disrupting agent, were profiled using Nanostring as a discovery cohort. A phase III trial (CheckMate 025) was used for validation. Clinical benefit (CB) was defined as response or stable disease for ≥6 months. A propensity score covariate adjustment was used, and model discrimination performance was assessed using the area under the ROC curve (AUC). In a discovery cohort of 82 patients, 35 (43%) were treated with everolimus alone and 47 (57%) received everolimus + BNC105P. Median PFS (mPFS) was 4.9 (95% CI, 2.8–6.2) months. A four-gene signature (ASXL1, DUSP6, ERCC2, and HSPA6) correlated with CB with everolimus ± BNC105P [AUC, 86.9% (95% CI, 79.2–94.7)]. This was validated in 130 patients from CheckMate 025 treated with everolimus [AUC, 60.2% (95% CI, 49.7–70.7)]. Among 43 patients (52.4%) with low expression of an 18-gene signature, everolimus + BNC105P was associated with significantly longer mPFS compared with everolimus alone (10.4 vs. 6.9 months; HR, 0.49; 95% CI, 0.24–1.002; P = 0.047). These signatures warrant further validation to select patients who may benefit from everolimus alone or with a vascular disrupting agent.
Impact of socio-economic status and race on emergency hospital admission outcomes: Analysis from hospital admissions between 2001 and 2012

Abstract Socio-economic and racial/ethnic disparities in healthcare quality have been the point of huge discussion and debate. There is currently a public debate over healthcare legislation in the United States to eliminate the disparities in healthcare. We reviewed the literature and critically examined standard socio-economic and racial/ethnic measurement approaches. As a result of the literature review, we identified and discussed the limitations in existing quality assessment for identifying and addressing these disparities. The aim of this research was to investigate the difference between health outcomes based on patients’ ability to pay and ethnic status during a single emergency admission. We conducted a multifactorial analysis using the 11-year admissions data from a single hospital to test the bias in short-term health outcomes for length of stay and death rate, based on ‘payment type’ and ‘race’, for emergency hospital admissions. Inconclusive findings for racial bias in outcomes may be influenced by different insurance and demographic profiles by race. As a result, we found that the Self-Pay (no insurance) category has the shortest statistically significant length of stay. While the differences between Medicare, Private and Government are not significant, Self-Pay was significantly shorter. That ‘Whites’ have more Medicare (older) patients than ‘Blacks’ might possibly lead to a longer length of stay and higher death rate for the group.
Estimating the Influence of Incarceration on Subsequent Experience With Violence Among Black Men Who Have Sex With Men in the HPTN061 Study

Black men who have sex with men (BMSM) are disproportionately incarcerated in the United States. Incarceration is a barrier to health equity and may be a risk factor for experiences of interpersonal violence. However, the effect of incarceration on experienced violence among BMSM is understudied. We examined associations between recent incarceration on subsequent experiences of race- or sexuality-based violence, intimate partner violence, or community violence. We analyzed data from the HPTN 061 study. Analysis includes data on 1,169 BMSM recruited from 6 U.S. cities who were present at baseline as well as 6- and 12-month follow-up interview. We tested if self-reported incarceration between baseline and 6 months was associated with self-reported outcomes between 6 and 12 months using logistic regression with inverse probability of treatment weighting and multiple imputation methods. Experienced outcomes included violence due to race or sexuality, intimate partner violence and aggression, and community violence (i.e., gang violence, robbery, shooting). Approximately 14% reported incarceration between baseline and 6 months and 90% reported experiencing violence between 6 and 12 months. In adjusted analyses, incarceration was associated with subsequent race- or sexuality-based violence [aOR (adjusted odds ratio) range: 1.25-1.41, 95% CI (confidence interval) range: 1.00-1.74], experiences of physical abuse and aggression from intimate partners (aOR: 2.35; 95% CI: 1.50, 3.70) and community violence (OR 1.82; 95% CI: 1.23, 2.72). Recent incarceration experience increased risk of exposure to future violence in this population. Mixed methods research examining mediating paths between and downstream effects of incarceration and violence on the wellbeing and health of BMSM is needed. We implore researchers to study violence and incarceration among BMSM. Practitione should implement strategies such as trauma-informed interventions, and policies strengthening the social and economic support needs of Black populations.
Trichoderma harzianum cerato‐platanin enhances hydrolysis of lignocellulosic materials

Considering its worldwide abundance, cellulose can be a suitable candidate to replace the fossil oil‐based materials, even if its potential is still untapped, due to some scientific and technical gaps. This work offers new possibilities demonstrating for the first time the ability of a cerato‐platanin, a small fungal protein, to valorize lignocellulosic Agri‐food Wastes. Indeed, cerato‐platanins can loosen cellulose rendering it more accessible to hydrolytic attack. The cerato‐platanin ThCP from a marine strain of Trichoderma harzianum, characterized as an efficient biosurfactant protein, has proven able to efficiently pre‐treat apple pomace, obtaining a sugar conversion yield of 65%. Moreover, when used in combination with a laccase enzyme, a notable increase in the sugar conversion yield was measured. Similar results were also obtained when other wastes, coffee silverskin and potato peel, were pre‐treated. With respect to the widespread laccase pre‐treatments, this new pre‐treatment approach minimizes process time, increasing energy efficiency.
The crystal structure of the natural 1,2,4-triazolate compound NaCu2Cl3[N3C2H2]2[NH3]2·4H2O

Abstract The crystal structure of a new natural compound NaCu2Cl3[N3C2H2]2[NH3]2·4H2O, (further denoted I in the text) from a guano deposit located on the Pabellón de Pica Mountain, Iquique Province, Tarapacá Region, Chile, was studied by single-crystal low-temperature (200 K) XRD, R=2.42%. The compound I is orthorhombic, space group P212121; a=19.484(3), b=7.2136(10), c=11.999(4) Å, V=1686.5(7) Å3, Z=4. The crystal structure of I contains zig-zag chains of the corner-sharing Cu(1)-centered octahedra running along the a axis and isolated Cu(2)-centered octahedra connected with the chains via 1,2,4-triazolate anions. This structural fragment is close to that found in the mineral chanabayaite, Cu2(N3C2H2)2Cl(NH3, Cl, H2O, □)4. In contrast to Na-free chanabayaite, in the structure of I Na cations occupy Na(H2O)6 octahedra connected via common edges to form chains parallel to the chains of Cu(1)-centered octahedra. I is the second natural compound, after chanabayaite, with 1,2,4-triazolate anions N3C2H2– and is assumed to be a protophase of chanabayaite; the latter was presumably formed as a result of Na and Cl leaching and dehydration of I.
Exploring the Effect of Employment Instability for Relationship Satisfaction in Diverse Couples: Implications for Integrative Multi-couple Group Intervention

ABSTRACT This exploratory study examined race/ethnicity, income, and employment status (including underemployment specifically) as predictors of relational distress for members of a couple in a predominantly low-income, historically marginalized racial-ethnic (HMRE) background sample (N = 671 couples). Results of a dyadic multiple regression using structural equation modeling did not show an effect for underemployment on relational satisfaction, but effects for employment status and race differed significantly. Findings strengthen the demand for holistic and integrative approaches to multi-couple group career counseling and career development for disproportionately higher numbers of HMRE couples and families.
Deciphering the Pathogenic Nature of Two de novo Sequence Variations in a Patient with Shprintzen-Goldberg Syndrome

Shprintzen-Goldberg syndrome (SGS) is autosomal dominant disorder with features of craniosynostosis, distinctive craniofacial features, skeletal abnormalities, marfanoid body habitus, aortic dilatation, and intellectual disability. SGS is caused by mutations in the SKI gene, encoding the oncoprotein SKI, a repressor of TGFβ activity. We present the unusual molecular findings in a 12-year-old female child with SGS. There was co-occurrence of 2 heterozygous missense variations, c.346G>A (p.Gly116Arg) and c.687G>C (p.Lys229Asn), in exon 1 (hotspot) of the SKI gene, which makes this propositus different from all other patients reported in the literature. Both variants were found to be de novo. In silico analysis revealed that both of them are pathogenic, but later on, Gly116Arg was proven to be more pathogenic by various in silico prediction tools. c.687G>C (p.Lys229Asn) was found as a single report in ExAC in the South Asian population, but c.346G>A (p.Gly116Arg) is not reported anywhere, thereby making it a novel sequence variant in the SKI gene, giving rise to SGS. This case illustrates the issues regarding the importance and difficulties associated with the determination of the causative variations in a single-gene disorder.
Release of stem cells from quiescence reveals gliogenic domains in the adult mouse brain

Gliogenesis in the adult mouse brain Neural stem cells in the adult mouse brain can generate both neurons and glia. Exactly where each stem cell is positioned can determine what type of neurons it generates. Delgado et al. show that neural stem cells are also choosy about what sorts of glia they make and when (see the Perspective by Baldwin and Silver). Injury or selective deletion of platelet-derived growth factor receptor β (PDGFRβ) from the stem cells kicked them into overdrive and revealed their selectivity with respect to gliogenesis. An unusual type of glial progenitor cell, intraventricular oligodendrocyte progenitors, are found nestled between the cilia of ependymal cells derived from tight clusters of PDGFRβ-expressing stem cells. Science, abg8467, this issue p. 1205; see also abj1139, p. 1151 Stem cells in the adult brain are selective about what sorts of glial cells they produce. Quiescent neural stem cells (NSCs) in the adult mouse ventricular-subventricular zone (V-SVZ) undergo activation to generate neurons and some glia. Here we show that platelet-derived growth factor receptor beta (PDGFRβ) is expressed by adult V-SVZ NSCs that generate olfactory bulb interneurons and glia. Selective deletion of PDGFRβ in adult V-SVZ NSCs leads to their release from quiescence, uncovering gliogenic domains for different glial cell types. These domains are also recruited upon injury. We identify an intraventricular oligodendrocyte progenitor derived from NSCs inside the brain ventricles that contacts supraependymal axons. Together, our findings reveal that the adult V-SVZ contains spatial domains for gliogenesis, in addition to those for neurogenesis. These gliogenic NSC domains tend to be quiescent under homeostasis and may contribute to brain plasticity.
Penta­aqua­hydroxoscandium(III) dibromide, [Sc(H2O)5(OH)]Br2

[Sc(H2O)5(OH)]Br2 is a scand­ium(III) halide compound that contains centrosymmetric [Sc(H2O)5(OH)]24+ dimeric cationic units built from two edge-sharing (hydroxo-bridged) symmetrically equivalent Sc(H2O)5(OH)2 polyhedra. The mean Sc—O bond length is 2.156 A. The hydrogen bonds (O⋯Br) are of low strength. All atoms are in general positions.
High Sensitivity Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance Sensing Using a Double Split NanoRing Cavity

Practical implementations of biosensing with metallic nanostructures often suffer from the large line width of the plasmon resonances induced by large radiative damping. A double split nanoring cavity is designed to suppress the radiative damping. The coupling between the superradiant quadrupole mode of a split nanoring with one gap and the subradiant quadrupole mode of a split nanoring with two gaps leads to splitting of the modal energies into bonding and antibonding quadrupole–quadrupole modes. The radiative damping is suppressed effectively, leading to a narrow line width for both bonding and antibonding quadrupole–quadrupole modes. Calculation results show that bulk refractive index sensitivities exceeding 1200 nm/RIU with a figure of merit exceeding 8.5 in the near-infrared are obtained with a Au double split nanoring cavity. The large cavity volumes and uniform electric fields inside the cavity make the double split nanoring cavity a good platform for surface-enhanced molecular sensing.
Mapping a causal scheme of indicators in the COVID-19 crisis

Abstract The COVID-19 crisis has been accompanied by an extensive use of indicators, such as those related to COVID infections and deaths, but also a good number of COVID policy indicators. This paper discusses these indicators from the perspective of a legal scholar with an interest (and some expertise) in comparative law and empirical legal studies. This means that this paper does not engage in the details concerning epidemiological and medical issues of COVID infections and deaths. Rather, it focuses on two main issues: first, it develops and maps a general causal scheme of indicators and their underlying real-world phenomena in the COVID crisis; second, it shows how such a causal scheme has been, and can be, applied in comparative empirical legal research. Yet, it also notes the difficulties of proving causal relationships and some attempts to overcome them.
The payoffs and tradeoffs of hygienic behavior: A large-scale field study on a local population of honey bees

Honey bees (Apis mellifera) are exposed to a variety of risk factors, but the ectoparasitic mite Varroa destructor and its associated viruses are considered to be the most significant problem worldwide. It has been widely recognized that honey bee stocks resistant to the mites are an essential part of any sustainable long-term management of Varroa. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of hygienic behavior in a local population of honey bees in order to reduce Varroa infestation. A bi-directional selection for high and low rates of hygienic behavior was carried out in Israel using either queen artificially inseminated or naturally mated. Colonies were screened for performance: population size, honey production, control of Varroa infestation, and the level of hygienic behavior. Furthermore, we examined the costs and benefits of selection using measurements of colony performance. Either way, selected lines should be tested for trade-offs and benefits to ensure their productivity. The selection process revealed that the trait is heritable. Maternal phenotype has a significant effect on Varroa load, as colonies founded by hygienic daughter queens showed a significantly lower parasite load. No major trade-offs were found between the rate of hygienic behavior, honey yield, and population size. Measuring the direct benefits of hygienic behavior through colony performance suggests that breeding for this trait makes bees more resistant to Varroa destructor. These results are promising for our successful local bee breeding programs in a Mediterranean climate.
Rat Anterior Cingulate Cortex Continuously Signals Decision Variables in a Patch Foraging Task

In patch foraging tasks, animals must decide whether to remain with a depleting resource or to leave it in search of a potentially better source of reward. In such tasks, animals consistently follow the general predictions of optimal foraging theory (the marginal value theorem; MVT): to leave a patch when the reward rate in the current patch depletes to the average reward rate across patches. Prior studies implicate an important role for the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) in foraging decisions based on MVT: within single trials, ACC activity increases immediately preceding foraging decisions, and across trials, these dynamics are modulated as the value of staying in the patch depletes to the average reward rate. Here, we test whether these activity patterns reflect dynamic encoding of decision-variables and whether these signals are directly involved in decision-making. We developed a leaky accumulator model based on the MVT that generates estimates of decision variables within and across trials, and tested model predictions against ACC activity recorded from male rats performing a patch foraging task. Model predicted changes in MVT decision variables closely matched rat ACC activity. Next, we pharmacologically inactivated ACC in male rats to test the contribution of these signals to decision-making. ACC inactivation had a profound effect on rats' foraging decisions and response times (RTs) yet rats still followed the MVT decision rule. These findings indicate that the ACC encodes foraging-related variables for reasons unrelated to patch-leaving decisions. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The ability to make adaptive patch-foraging decisions, to remain with a depleting resource or search for better alternatives, is critical to animal well-being. Previous studies have found that anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) activity is modulated at different points in the foraging decision process, raising questions about whether the ACC guides ongoing decisions or serves a more general purpose of regulating cognitive control. To investigate the function of the ACC in foraging, the present study developed a dynamic model of behavior and neural activity, and tested model predictions using recordings and inactivation of ACC. Findings revealed that ACC continuously signals decision variables but that these signals are more likely used to monitor and regulate ongoing processes than to guide foraging decisions.
Bacterioplankton Diversity and Distribution in Relation to Phytoplankton Community Structure in the Ross Sea Surface Waters

Primary productivity in the Ross Sea region is characterized by intense phytoplankton blooms whose temporal and spatial distribution are driven by changes in environmental conditions as well as interactions with the bacterioplankton community. Exchange of exudates, metabolism by-products and cofactors between the phytoplankton and the bacterioplankton communities drive a series of complex interactions affecting the micronutrient availability and co-limitation, as well as nutrient uptakes in Antarctic waters. Yet, the number of studies reporting the simultaneous diversity of the phytoplankton and bacterioplankton in Antarctic waters are limited. Here we report data on the bacterial diversity in relation to phytoplankton community in the surface waters of the Ross Sea during the austral summer 2017. Our results show partially overlapping bacterioplankton communities between the stations located in the Terra Nova Bay coastal waters and the Ross Sea open waters, suggesting that the two communities are subjected to different drivers. We show that the rate of diversity change between the two locations is influenced by both abiotic (salinity and the nitrogen to phosphorus ratio) and biotic (phytoplankton community structure) factors. Our data provides new insight into the coexistence of the bacterioplankton and phytoplankton in Antarctic waters.