Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
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This paper proposes a novel approach of integrating different neuroimaging techniques to characterize an autistic brain. Different techniques like EEG, fMRI and DTI have traditionally been used to find biomarkers for autism, but there have been very few attempts for a combined or multimodal approach of EEG, fMRI and DTI to understand the neurobiological basis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Here, we explore how the structural brain network correlate with the functional brain network, such that the information encompassed by these two could be uncovered only by using the latter. In this paper, source localization from EEG using independent component analysis (ICA) and dipole fitting has been applied first, followed by selecting those dipoles that are closest to the active regions identified with fMRI. This allows translating the high temporal resolution of EEG to estimate time varying connectivity at the spatial source level. Our analysis shows that the estimated functional connectivity between two active regions can be correlated with the physical properties of the structure obtained from DTI analysis. This constitutes a first step towards opening the possibility of using pervasive EEG to monitor the long-term impact of ASD treatment without the need for frequent expensive fMRI or DTI investigations.
Prevalence of diarrheagenic Escherichia coli and impact on child health in Cap-Haitien, Haiti

Background Diarrheagenic Escherichia coli (DEC) are common pathogens infecting children during their growth and development. Determining the epidemiology and the impact of DEC on child anthropometric measures informs prioritization of prevention efforts. These relationships were evaluated in a novel setting, Cap-Haitien, Haiti. Methods A case-control study of children 6-36 months of age enrolled 99 cases with diarrhea and 96 asymptomatic controls. Assessments were performed at enrollment and one month follow-up. Established PCR methodologies targeted DEC using fecal swabs. The association between pathogens and anthropometric z-scores was determined using multiple linear regression. Results Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) was identified in 21.9% of cases vs. 16.1% of controls with heat-stable producing ETEC significantly associated with symptomatic disease. Enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC) was found in 30.2% of cases vs. 27.3% of controls, and typical enteropathogenic E. coli in 6.3% vs. 4.0% of cases and controls, respectively. Multivariate linear regression demonstrated ETEC and EAEC were significantly associated with reduced weight-age z-score (WAZ) and height-age z-score (HAZ) after adjusting for confounders. Conclusions DEC are prevalent in north Haitian children. ETEC, EAEC, household environment, and diet are associated with unfavorable anthropometric measures. Further studies may quantify the contribution of individual pathogens to adverse health outcomes.
European and multi-ancestry genome-wide association meta-analysis of atopic dermatitis highlights importance of systemic immune regulation

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common inflammatory skin condition and prior genome-wide association studies have identified 71 associated loci. In the current study we conducted the largest AD GWAS to date (discovery N=1,086,394, replication N=3,604,027), combining previously reported cohorts with additional available data. We identified 81 loci (29 novel) in the European-only analysis and 15 additional loci in the multi-ancestry analysis (6 novel). All 81 variants replicated in a separate European analysis. Eleven variants from the multi-ancestry analysis replicated in at least one of the populations tested (European, Latino or African). While four variants appeared to be specific to individuals of Japanese ancestry. AD loci showed enrichment for DNAse I hypersensitivity and eQTL signals in blood. At each locus we prioritised candidate genes by integrating multi-omic data. The implicated genes are predominantly in immune pathways of relevance to atopic inflammation and some offer drug repurposing opportunities.
Effect of compliant boundaries on weakly nonlinear shear waves in channel flow

There exists a critical Reynolds number (at which a linear instability first appears for an incompressible fluid flowing in a channel with compliant walls (Hains and Price, [1962]). It is proven that, for fixed non-dimensionalized wall parameters, to any unstable disturbance in three dimensions there corresponds an unstable disturbance in two dimensions at a lower Reynolds number. Consequently, the Ginzburg-Landau equation is used to study the weakly nonlinear two-dimensional evolution of a disturbance in a channel with compliant walls for Reynolds number near its critical value. The coefficients of this equation are found by numerically integrating solutions of the Orr-Sommerfeld equation and its adjoint as well as solutions of the perturbation equations. For rigid walls the finite amplitude two-dimensional plane wave solution that bifurcates from laminar Poiseuille flow at the critical Reynolds number is itself unstable to two-dimensional disturbances. It is found that for compliant walls this solution is stable to disturbances of the same type. The formalism developed by Landman [1987] is used to study a class of quasisteady solutions to the Ginzburg-Landau equation. This class includes solutions describing a transition from the laminar solution to finite amplitude states and nonperiodic, "chaotic" attracting sets. It is shown that for compliant walls the transition solutions persist while the "chaotic" ones do not.
Neuro-fuzzy system for adaptive multilevel image segmentation

An auto-adaptive neuro-fuzzy segmentation architecture is presented. The system consists of a multilayer perceptron (MLP) network that performs adaptive thresholding of the input image using labels automatically preselected by a fuzzy clustering technique. The proposed architecture is feedforward, but unlike the conventional MLP the learning is unsupervised. The output status of the network is described as a fuzzy set. Fuzzy entropy is used as a measure of the error of the system.
Ellagic Acid Alleviates Mice Intestinal Ischemia‐Reperfusion Injury: A Study Based on Transcriptomics Combined with Functional Experiments

Background: It has been reported that intestinal ischemia‐reperfusion injury (IIRI) is closely related to inflammatory response, apoptosis and oxidative stress. Ellagic acid (EA) has been proved to have antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory effects and can inhibit tumor angiogenesis. The purpose of this study was to investigate the protective effects of EA on IIRI in mice. Methods: A mouse model of IIRI was established by clamping the mesenteric artery. Effects and mechanisms of EA on IIRI were investigate by transcriptomics combined with functional experiments. Results: The symptoms of IIRI were reflected in significant increases in inflammatory factors such as TNF‐α and IL‐1β; significant increases in oxidative stress indicators such as MDA and GSH and decreases in SOD and promotion of the apoptotic protein Bax/Bcl‐2. These indicators were significantly alleviated by EA. And after EA treatment, transcriptomics results identified AKT1 differentially expressed mRNAs mainly enriched in PI3K/AKT signalling pathway. Conclusion: This study illustrates the protective effects against IIRI, the possible mechanisms were also studied. This study provides new scientific information for the application of EA in IIRI therapy.
Lower hypothalamic volume with lower body mass index is associated with shorter survival in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Weight loss in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is associated with faster disease progression and shorter survival. Decreased hypothalamic volume is proposed to contribute to weight loss due to loss of appetite and/or hypermetabolism. We aimed to investigate the relationship between hypothalamic volume and body mass index (BMI) in ALS and Alzheimer's disease (AD), and the associations of hypothalamic volume with weight loss, appetite, metabolism and survival in patients with ALS.
Ab Initio Theory of Light-ion Reactions

The exact treatment of nuclei starting from the constituent nucleons and the fundamental interactions among them has been a long-standing goal in nuclear physics. Above all nuclear scattering and reactions, which require the solution of the many-body quantum-mechanical problem in the continuum, represent a theoretical and computational challenge for ab initio approaches. After a brief overview of the field, we present a new ab initio many-body approach capable of describing simultaneously both bound and scattering states in light nuclei. By combining the resonating-group method (RGM) with the ab initio no-core shell model (NCSM), we complement a microscopic cluster technique with the use of realistic interactions and a microscopic and consistent description of the clusters. We show results for neutron and proton scattering on light nuclei, including p-7Be and n-8He. We also highlight the first results of the d-3He and d-3H fusion calculations obtained within this approach.
Herpes, Syphilis, and Human Immunodeficiency Virus Coinfection Among Transgender Women in Central Brazil

This study assessed the prevalence of human herpesvirus 2 monoinfection and combined human herpesvirus 2, syphilis, and human immunodeficiency virus infection among transgender women in Central Brazil. Background Human herpesvirus 2 (HSV-2) is a major cause of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) worldwide and often occurs synergistically with syphilis, and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Transgender women (TGW) are disproportionately affected by STIs. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of HSV-2 monoinfection, and HSV-2, syphilis, and HIV coinfection (triple infection) among TGW in Central Brazil. Methods A seroprevalence survey was conducted among TGW in Central Brazil from 2018 to 2019. Participants were recruited using respondent-driven sampling and interviewed about their sociodemographic characteristics and STI risk behaviors, and were tested for antibodies to HSV-2, Treponema pallidum, and HIV. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to identify variables associated with HSV-2 monoinfection and triple infection. Results Of the 431 participants, 345 (80%) were positive for HSV-2 antibodies, of whom 36 were HSV-2 immunoglobulin M–positive, and 340 were HSV-2 immunoglobulin G–positive. Human herpesvirus 2 and HIV coinfection, HIV and syphilis coinfection, and triple infection were detected in 38 participants (9.0%), 58 participants (13.8%), and 27 participants (6.4%), respectively. Report of a previous STI was associated with a decreased risk of HSV-2 monoinfection (adjusted odds ratio, 0.39), and an increased risk of triple infection (adjusted odds ratio, 4.4). Participants who reported sex not only with men had a 2.42-fold increased risk of triple infection. Conclusions The high prevalence of HSV-2, syphilis, and HIV coinfection among TGW is a cause for concern. Transgender women should be screened for HIV and other STIs. Further studies of risk factors for triple infection among TGW are warranted.
Recursive Estimation in Cointegrated VAR-Models

Some methods for the evaluation of parameter constancy in cointegrated vector autoregressive (VAR) models are discussed. Two different ways of re-estimating the VAR-model are proposed; one in which all parameters are estimated recursively based upon the likelihood function for the first observations, and another in which the cointegrating relations are estimated recursively from a likelihood function, where the short-run parameters have been concentrated out. We suggest graphical procedures based on recursively estimated eigenvalues to evaluate the constancy of the long-run parameters in the model. Specifically, we look at the time paths of the eigenvalues using a new result on the asymptotic distribution of the estimated eigenvalues. Furthermore, we show that the fluctuation test by Ploberger et al. (1989) and the Lagrange multiplier (LM) type test for constancy of parameters by Nyblom (1989) can be applied to test the constancy of the long-run parameters in the cointegrated VAR-model. All results are illustrated using a model for the term structure of interest rates on US Treasury securities.
Visit-to-visit SBP variability and risk of atrial fibrillation in middle-aged and older populations

Objective: We sought to examine the relationship between visit-to-visit variability of SBP and incident atrial fibrillation in middle-aged and older population. Methods: This prospective cohort study included 26 999 participants aged 50 years or older at study entry. Visit-to-visit variability of SBP was defined as the average real variability (ARV) of three values of SBP from the examinations of 2006, 2008, and 2010. We categorized participants into four groups according to the quartiles of ARV. Incident atrial fibrillation cases were identified via ECG during biennial resurveys, and reviewing medical insurance record and discharge registers. We used Cox regression models to evaluate the hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for incident atrial fibrillation. Results: After an average follow-up of 9.24 years, a total of 420 atrial fibrillation cases were identified. The incidence of atrial fibrillation from the lowest to the highest quartiles of SBP variability were 1.23, 1.53, 1.81 and 2.19 per 1000 person-years, respectively. After adjusting for potential confounders, including mean blood pressure, we found a graded association between SBP variability and risk of atrial fibrillation. Participants in the third quartile and the highest quartile were associated with 35 and 53% higher risk of developing atrial fibrillation, respectively, compared with participants in the lowest quartile [hazard ratio (95% CI), 1.35 (1.01–1.82) and 1.53 (1.15–2.04)]. The results persisted across sensitivity analyses. Conclusion: Increased visit-to-visit variability of SBP is a strong predictor of incident atrial fibrillation in middle-aged and older population. Evaluation of long-term SBP variability could help to identify individuals at higher risk of atrial fibrillation.
Efficacy and safety of fenofibrate addition therapy in patients with cirrhotic primary biliary cholangitis with incomplete response to ursodeoxycholic acid

Fenofibrate (FF) has shown potential benefits in patients with primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) who have an incomplete response to ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA). However, the efficacy and safety of FF in patients with cirrhosis remain unclear. To evaluate the efficacy and safety of additional FF therapy in patients with PBC‐related cirrhosis with an incomplete response to UDCA, we conducted a retrospective analysis comparing the clinical results of additional FF therapy and continued UDCA monotherapy. A total of 59 patients were included; 27 cases underwent UDCA monotherapy and 32 cases underwent UDCA combined with FF therapy. A significant difference in alkaline phosphatase (ALP) normalization was achieved in the FF group compared to the UDCA group (37% vs. 11%, respectively; p = 0.020). Additional FF therapy was an independent risk factor for ALP normalization (hazard ratio, 7.679; 95% confidence interval, 2.059–28.633; p = 0.003). Hepatic deterioration was experienced by 40% versus 48% (p = 0.562) while 11% vs. 37% (p = 0.111) experienced liver‐related mortality or liver transplantation in the FF and UDCA groups, respectively. Compared to UDCA monotherapy, additional FF therapy was associated with lower United Kingdom (UK)‐PBC risk score and surrogate serum indices of liver fibrosis. After 12 months of add‐on FF therapy, median ALP level and UK‐PBC risk score decreased 35% and 52% from baseline (p = 0.001 and 0.210, respectively). Serum aminotransferase, triglyceride, and cholesterol decreased progressively, while total bilirubin, serum creatinine, blood urea, estimated glomerular filtration rate, aspartate aminotransferase‐to‐platelet ratio index, and fibrosis‐4 index remained stable in FF‐treated cirrhotic cases during follow‐up. No significant adverse effects associated with additional FF therapy were observed in our cohort. Conclusion: Additional FF therapy was associated with higher ALP normalization rates and lower UK‐PBC risk scores in patients with cirrhotic PBC with an incomplete response to UDCA. In addition, FF therapy seemed safe and well tolerated with a low frequency of adverse effects in patients with cirrhosis.
A Forecasting Ionospheric Real‐time Scintillation Tool (FIRST)

Transionospheric radio waves propagating through an irregular ionosphere with plasma depletions, or “bubbles,” are subject to sporadic enhancement and fading commonly referred to as scintillation. Knowledge of the current ionospheric condition allows system operators to distinguish between compromises due to the radio environment and system induced failures, while a forecast of the same provides the opportunity for operators to take appropriate actions to mitigate the effects and optimize service. This paper describes a technique that uses the readily accessible ionospheric characteristic h′F from ground‐based ionospheric sounder data near the geomagnetic equator to forecast the occurrence or nonoccurrence of low‐latitude scintillation activity in VHF/UHF bands. We illustrate the development of the Forecasting Ionospheric Real‐time Scintillation Tool and its real‐time capability for forecasting scintillation activity. Finally, we have found that there exists a threshold in the h′F value at 1930 LT that corresponds to the onset of scintillation activity in the Peruvian longitude sector, which is found to decrease with decreasing F10.7 cm fluxes in a linear manner.
Intrinsic protein disorder and conditional folding in AlphaFoldDB

Intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs) defying the traditional protein structure–function paradigm have been difficult to analyze. The availability of accurate structure predictions on a large scale in AlphaFoldDB offers a fresh perspective on IDR prediction. Here, we establish three baselines for IDR prediction from AlphaFoldDB models based on the recent CAID dataset. Surprisingly, AlphaFoldDB is highly competitive for predicting both IDRs and conditionally folded binding regions, demonstrating the plasticity of the disorder to structure continuum.
Confronting the galactic center gamma-ray excess with a light scalar dark matter

The Fermi Large Area Telescope observed an excess in gamma-ray emission spectrum coming from the center of the Milky Way galaxy. This data reveals that a light dark matter (DM) candidate of mass in the range 31–40 GeV, dominantly decaying into bb̄ final state, can explain the presence of the observed bump in photon energy. We try to interpret this observed phenomena by sneutrino DM annihilation into pair of fermions in the Supersymmetric Inverse Seesaw Model (SISM). This model can also account for tiny non-zero neutrino masses satisfying existing neutrino oscillation data. We show that a Higgs portal DM in this model is in perfect agreement with this new interpretation besides satisfying all other existing collider, cosmological and low energy experimental constraints.
An improved model of H ii bubbles during the epoch of reionization

The size distribution of ionized regions during the epoch of reionization -- a key ingredient in understanding the HI power spectrum observable by 21cm experiments -- can be modelled analytically using the excursion set formalism of random walks in the smoothed initial density field. To date, such calculations have been based on simplifying assumptions carried forward from the earliest excursion set models of two decades ago. In particular, these models assume that the random walks have uncorrelated steps and that haloes can form at arbitrary locations in the initial density field. We extend these calculations by incorporating recent technical developments that allow us to (a) include the effect of correlations in the steps of the walks induced by a realistic smoothing filter and (b) more importantly, account for the fact that dark matter haloes preferentially form near peaks in the initial density. A comparison with previous calculations shows that including these features, particularly the peaks constraint on halo locations, has large effects on the size distribution of the HII bubbles surrounding these haloes. For example, when comparing models at the same value of the globally averaged ionized volume fraction, the typical bubble sizes predicted by our model are more than a factor 2 larger than earlier calculations. Our results can potentially have a significant impact on estimates of the observable HI power spectrum.
BRST symmetry and $W$-algebra in higher derivative models

In this paper we discuss the (anti-)BRST symmetries and $W$-algebra of higher derivative theories of relativistic particles satisfying general gauge conditions. Using this formalism, the connection between the (anti-)BRST symmetries and $W$-algebra for the rigid relativistic particle is established. Incidentally, the full $W$-algebra emerges only when the anti-BRST transformations are considered in tandem with the BRST ones. Further, the BRST symmetry is made finite and coordinate-dependent. We show that such finite coordinate-dependent BRST symmetry changes the BRST invariant gauge-fixing fermion within the functional integration. This is exploited to connect two different arbitrary gauge conditions.
Dissecting Naturally Arising Amino Acid Substitutions at Position L452 of SARS-CoV-2 Spike

In a span of less than 3 years since the declaration of the coronavirus pandemic, numerous SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern have emerged all around the globe, fueling a surge in the number of cases and deaths that caused severe strain on the health care system. A major concern is whether viral evolution eventually promotes greater fitness advantages, transmissibility, and immune escape. ABSTRACT Mutations at spike protein L452 are recurrently observed in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants of concern (VOC), including omicron lineages. It remains elusive how amino acid substitutions at L452 are selected in VOC. Here, we characterized all 19 possible mutations at this site and revealed that five mutants expressing the amino acids Q, K, H, M, and R gained greater fusogenicity and pseudovirus infectivity, whereas other mutants failed to maintain steady-state expression levels and/or pseudovirus infectivity. Moreover, the five mutants showed decreased sensitivity toward neutralization by vaccine-induced antisera and conferred escape from T cell recognition. Contrary to expectations, sequence data retrieved from the Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data (GISAID) revealed that the naturally occurring L452 mutations were limited to Q, M, and R, all of which can arise from a single nucleotide change. Collectively, these findings highlight that the codon base change mutational barrier is a prerequisite for amino acid substitutions at L452, in addition to the phenotypic advantages of viral fitness and decreased sensitivity to host immunity. IMPORTANCE In a span of less than 3 years since the declaration of the coronavirus pandemic, numerous SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern have emerged all around the globe, fueling a surge in the number of cases and deaths that caused severe strain on the health care system. A major concern is whether viral evolution eventually promotes greater fitness advantages, transmissibility, and immune escape. In this study, we addressed the differential effect of amino acid substitutions at a frequent mutation site, L452 of SARS-CoV-2 spike, on viral antigenic and immunological profiles and demonstrated how the virus evolves to select one amino acid over the others to ensure better viral infectivity and immune evasion. Identifying such virus mutation signatures could be crucial for the preparedness of future interventions to control COVID-19.