Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Structural and functional activities of brain in patients with vascular cognitive impairment: A case-controlled magnetic resonance imaging study

This study aimed to identify abnormal brain regions and imaging indices of vascular cognitive impairment (VCI) and explore specific imaging diagnostic markers of VCI. In this study, 24 patients with VCI were allocated to the VCI group and 25 healthy subjects were assigned to the healthy control (HC) group. Demographic data and neuropsychological test scores were compared using SPSS 25.0. The structural and functional imaging data were post-processed and statistically analyzed using CAT12, DPARSF and SPM12 software, based on the MATLAB platform. The structural and functional indices of gray matter volume (GMV) and regional homogeneity (ReHo) were obtained, and inter-group data were analyzed using an independent-sample t test. Sex, age, years of education, and total brain volume were used as covariates. Compared to the HC group, the GMV of VCI in the VCI group decreased significantly in the rectus muscles of the bilateral gyrus, left superior temporal gyrus, left supplementary motor area (SMA), right insula, right superior temporal gyrus, right anterior cuneiform lobe, and right anterior central gyrus (PRECG) (P < .05, FWE correction), without GMV enlargement in the brain area. ReHo decreased in the right inferior temporal gyrus (ITG), right parahippocampal gyrus, and left temporal pole (middle temporal gyrus, right lingual gyrus, left posterior central gyrus, and right middle temporal gyrus), the areas of increased ReHo were the left caudate nucleus, left rectus gyrus, right anterior cingulate gyrus and lateral cingulate gyrus (P < .05, FWE correction). Correlation analysis showed that the GMV of the left superior temporal gyrus was positively correlated with the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score (P < .05), and the GMV of the right insula was positively correlated with the MESE and long delayed memory scores (P < .05). There was a significant positive correlation between the ReHo and short-term delayed memory scores in the middle temporal gyrus of the left temporal pole (P < .05). The volume of GMV and ReHo decreased in VCI patients, suggesting that impairment of brain structure and function in specific regions is the central mechanism of cognitive impairment in these patients. Meanwhile, the functional indices of some brain regions were increased, which may be a compensatory mechanism for the cognitive impairment associated with VCI.
Patterns of understory invasion in invasive timber stands of a tropical sky island

Abstract Current climate and land cover change threaten global mountaintops with increased spread of invasive species. Long‐established plantations of invasive trees on these mountaintops can alter their surroundings, further increasing invader‐facilitated invasion. Identifying the ecological conditions promoting such associations can help develop better management interventions. The Western Ghats's Shola Sky Islands (>1400 m MSL) host vast stretches of invasive tree plantations that sustain the colonization of other invasive woody, herbaceous, and fern species in their understories. Here, we analyzed vegetation and landscape variables from 232 systematically placed plots in randomly selected grids using non‐metric multidimensional scaling and Phi coefficient approaches to examine patterns of association (positive interactions) between understory invasive species with specific invasive overstory species. We also conducted GLMM with zero inflation to determine the influence of environmental variables where such associations occur. We find that understory invasion of multiple species under the canopy of other invasives is widespread across the Shola Sky Islands. Stands of Eucalyptus host the colonization of 70% of non‐native invasive species surveyed across the Shola Sky Islands. In particular, the Lantana camara invasion is strongly associated with Eucalyptus stands. We also found that climatic variables affect the colonization of understory woody invasive species, while invasion by exotic herbaceous species is associated with the density of road networks. Canopy cover impacts all invasives negatively, while fire incidence was negatively associated with invasion by Lantana spp. and the Pteridium spp. While the restoration of natural habitats primarily targets the highly invasive Acacia, less invasive Eucalyptus and Pinus are often not included. Our study suggests that retaining such invasive species in natural habitats, particularly protected areas, can hinder ongoing grassland restoration efforts by facilitating further invasions by multiple woody and herbaceous species.
Significance of surgical first assistant expertise for surgical site infection prevention: Propensity score matching analysis

Surgical site infection (SSI) is one of the most common postoperative complications in patients undergoing major operations, such as spinal fusion surgery, and a major contributor to patient morbidity and mortality. SSI is considered the most preventable type of infection; however, the risk of SSI is multifactorial. This study aimed to determine the extent to which the expertise of the surgical first assistant (SFA) affected SSI rates. We retrospectively reviewed 528 patients at a single institution who underwent lumbar spine fusion surgery via the posterior approach performed by a single surgeon between January 2012 and May 2020. The SFAs participating in the surgeries were classified into 2 groups: a certified neurosurgery specialist and relatively less experienced neurosurgery resident trainees. To reduce potential selection bias and confounding factors, propensity score matching was performed between the 2 groups. In 170 of the 528 lumbar spine fusion surgeries, the SFA was a certified neurosurgery specialist. In the other 358 surgeries, the SFA was a resident trainee. Seventeen patients met the SSI criteria. The SSI rate was significantly different between the 2 groups (0.6% (1 patient) and 4.5% (16 patients) in the certified specialist and resident trainee groups, respectively; P = . 02). After propensity score matching, 170 paired patients were selected. After adjusting for confounding factors, SFAs that were certified neurosurgery specialists were associated with a lower likelihood of SSI (adjusted OR 0.09; 95% CI, 0.01 to 0.79; P = .029) than SFAs that were neurosurgery residents. A higher level of SFA expertise was significantly associated with a lower overall SSI rate in lumbar spine fusion surgeries. It is difficult to predict the incidence of SSI; however, this finding suggests the importance of SFA expertise in preventing SSI.
Frailty is associated with an increased risk of postoperative pneumonia in elderly patients following surgical treatment for lower-extremity fractures: A cross-sectional study

Elderly patients with lower-extremity fractures are at high risk of postoperative pneumonia (POP) after surgery due to longtime bed rest. This study aimed to explore whether preoperative frailty is an independent risk factor for POP in elderly patients undergoing surgical treatment for lower-extremity fractures. The study adopted a cross sectional design with 568 patients (≥60 years) admitted to a tertiary hospital in China from January 1, 2021 to June 30, 2022, for surgical intervention of a significant lower-extremity fracture. Preoperative frailty was assessed using the CFS (Clinical Frailty Scale). POP was assessed based on the classic diagnostic criteria reported in previous studies. Univariate and multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine the impacts of preoperative frailty on POP. Of the 568 elderly patients, 65 (11.4%) developed pneumonia during postoperative hospitalization. There were significant differences among gender, hypoproteinemia, type of anesthesia, history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and CFS scores. Multiple regression analysis revealed that the risk of POP in vulnerable, mildly frail, and severely frail patients increased by 2.38 times (P = .01, 95% CI [1.22–1.91]), 3.32 (P = .00, 95% CI [2.39–5.61]), and 5.36 (P = .00, 95% CI [3.95–6.52]), significantly. 12.8% of patients with hip fractures and 8.9% of patients with other main types of lower-extremity fractures developed POP. However, the difference between hip and non-hip fractures was not statistically significant (P > .05). Preoperative frailty increases the risk of POP in elderly patients after surgical treatment of main lower-extremity fractures. The severer the preoperative frailty is, the higher the risk of preoperative pneumonia is in elderly patients with lower-extremity fractures. CFS is simple and feasible for the assessment of frailty in elderly patients with lower-extremity fractures. Preoperative frailty assessment and appropriate management strategies should be considered in the perioperative management of elderly patients with lower-extremity fractures.
Role of CCT4/ErbB signaling in nephroblastoma: Implications for a biomarker of Wilms tumor

Wilms tumor is a common abdominal malignant tumor in children. However, the molecular mechanism of Wilms tumor is unclear. GSE66405 and GSE197047 were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. To identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in Wilms tumor, the R package “limma” was used. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis was performed to identify the significant module. The list of DEGs was input into the Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes database to construct a protein-protein interaction network for predicting core genes. Gene Ontology analysis and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analysis are computational methods for assessing gene function and biological pathways. The genome was analyzed by Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes and developed by gene set enrichment analysis. Comparative Toxicogenomics Database analysis was performed to find the diseases most related to the core genes. TargetScan was used to screen for miRNAs that regulate hub genes. A total of 925 DEGs were identified. The differently expressed genes were mainly enriched in the metabolic pathway, AMPK signaling pathway, ErbB signaling pathway, mRNA detection pathway, and folded protein binding. A total of 16 core genes (HNRNPK, PABPC1, HNRNPD, NCL, YBX1, EIF4G1, KHDRBS1, HNRNPAB, HSPA4, EEF2, HSP90AA1, EEF1A1, A TP5A1, SDHA, CCT4, CCT5) were obtained. chaperonin containing TCP-1 subunit 4 (CCT4) was downregulated in tumor tissue samples, which may have reverse regulatory significance for Wilms tumor. CCT4, HSP90AA1, NCL, PABPC1, and YBX1 were found to be associated with kidney disease, acute kidney injury, edema, tumor metastasis, transitional cell carcinoma, necrosis, and inflammation. The research found that the related miRNA of the CCT4 gene was hsamiR-7-5p. CCT4 might play an essential role in the occurrence and development of Wilms tumor, and they may participate in the occurrence and development of Wilms tumor through the ERBB signal pathway. CCT4 may be a promising biomarker of Wilms tumor.
Using DNA barcoding and field surveys to guide wildlife management at Nanjing Lukou International Airport, China

Abstract The conflicts between wildlife and aircraft have increased due to the development of the aviation industry. While many studies have quantified the relative hazards of wildlife to aircraft, few studies have combined DNA barcoding techniques with field surveys of bird communities in different habitats to reveal the exact species involved in bird strikes and how the habitat heterogeneity around airports affects bird communities and even the occurrence of bird strikes. Taking Nanjing Lukou International Airport in China as an example, based on the DNA barcoding technology and detailed field research, we establish the most commonly struck species, which can help managers identify the level of hazard and lead to meaningful reductions in hazards and costs associated with bird strike. The investigation of bird communities showed that there were 149 bird species recorded within an 8 km radius. There were 89, 88, 61, and 88 species in the woodland, wetland, farmland, and urban area, respectively. In total, 303 samples identified 82 species representing 13 orders and 32 family of birds from bird strike cases, of which 24 species were not found in the field survey. Passeriformes were the most common order of birds identified, with 43 species represented in 167 identifications. Skylark, Thrush, Shrike, Lapwing, and Swallow were most likely to cause damage or substantial damage to aircraft when strikes occurred. In addition to birds, we identified 69 bats individuals (accounting for 22.77%) using DNA barcoding. The Bray–Curtis similarity analysis revealed that species involved in bird strike had the highest similarity with urban area. Our findings suggest that policymakers should pay more attention to managing the wetlands and urban areas surrounding the airport. These findings imply that DNA barcoding can add to the environmental monitoring in airports, which can facilitate hazard management and improve air safety.
A pan-cancer analysis of the oncogenic role of YKT6 in human tumors

YKT6, as a Soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor (SNARE) protein with vesicle trafficking, plays an essential role in the development and progression of tumor. However, the gene of YKT6 has not been fully assessed in pan-cancer studies. We aim to investigate the gene of YKT6 across 33 different types of tumor by using the Cancer Genome Atlas, Gene Expression Omnibus database, and other several kinds of bioinformatic tools. YKT6 is significantly up-regulated in most tumors, and we found that overexpression of YKT6 is positively associated with poor prognosis of overall survival and poor disease-free survival prognosis in several tumors, such as Adrenocortical carcinoma, Bladder Urothelial Carcinoma, Head and Neck squamous cell carcinoma. We also detected distinct associations exist between YKT6 and tumor mutational burden or microsatellite instability with tumors. YKT6 expression was positively related to cancer-associated fibroblasts for TCGA tumors of colon adenocarcinoma and LGG. Furthermore, we discovered a significantly positively correlation between YKT6 expression and endothelial cell in tumors of colon adenocarcinoma, HNSC-HPV+, OV, READ and THCA. While a negative relationship was obtained between YKT6 expression and endothelial cell in KIRC. Moreover, “Syntaxin binding,” “SNARE complex,” “vesicle fusion” and “DNA replication” are involved in the influence of YKT6 on tumor pathogenesis. Our pan-cancer analysis offers a deep comprehending the gene of YKT6 in tumoeigenesis from viewpoint of clinical tumor samples.
Application of a new semi-analytical method to periodic motion due to the J22 tesseral harmonic

We revisit the issue of constructing the first-order periodic solution that incorporates the J22 tesseral harmonic and developing a new semi-analytical solution that may apply to any orbital eccentricity in [0,1). In our work, the solution is expressed in a finite compact form composed of several definite integrals with varying integration intervals constrained in [0,π], in which the traditional Hansen coefficients are no longer involved. Numerical experiments are also given and compared with the traditional series expansion method, and the results show that the derived solution is capable of dealing with highly eccentric orbits. Therefore, the solution given can provide a new technique to analyze the perturbation characteristics arising from the J22 harmonic.
Heterogeneous breast phantom for computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging

In this article, a heterogeneous multimodal anthropomorphic breast phantom with carcinoma is introduced to meet the response of the natural breast tissue when imaged using ionizing and non-ionizing machines. The skin, adipose, fibroglandular, pectoral muscle, and carcinoma tissue were mimicked. A T1-weighted breast magnetic resonance image with BI-RADS I tissue segmentation was used for molds creation. The tissue-mimicking materials (TMMs) were tailored in terms of their elemental composition weight fractions and their response to ionization radiation parameters. These are the mass attenuation coefficient (MAC), electron density (ne) and effective atomic number (Zeff). The behaviour of the TMMs, when exposed to a wide range of ionization radiation energy, was investigated analytically and numerically using X-COM. The achieved results showed an excellent agreement with the corresponding properties of the natural breast elemental compositions as reported by the International Commission on Radiation Units and Measurements (ICRU). The MAC of the TMMs and the ICRU-based breast tissue were found to be consistent. The maximum percentage of error in ne and Zeff amounts to only 2.93% and 5.76%, respectively. For non-ionizing imaging, the TMMs were characterized in term of T1 and T2 relaxation times. Using our preclinical MRI unit, the TMMs relaxation times were measured and compared to the natural tissue. The fabricated phantom was validated experimentally using CT, MRI, and Mammographic machines. The achieved images of the TMMs were in alignment with the real tissue in terms of CT HU values and grayscale colors. T1W and T2W images on MRI revealed the expected contrast between TMMs as in natural tissue.
Current distribution of two species of Chinese macaques (Macaca arctoides and Macaca thibetana) and the possible influence of climate change on future distribution

Predicting the spatial distribution of species and suitable areas under global climate change could provide a reference for species conservation and long‐term management strategies. Macaca thibetana and Macaca arctoides are two endangered species of Chinese macaques. However, limited information is available on their distribution, and their habitat needs lack proper assessment due to complicated taxonomy and less research attention. In recent years, scholars widely used the maximum entropy (MaxEnt) model to predict the impact of global climate and certain environmental factors on species distribution. Therefore, we used the MaxEnt model to predict the spatiotemporal distribution of both macaque species under six climate change scenarios using occurrence and high‐resolution ecological data. We identified climatic factors, elevation, and land cover that shape their distribution range and determined shifts in their habitat range. The results demonstrated that temperature range, annual precipitation, forest land cover, and temperature seasonality, including the precipitation of the driest month are the main factors affecting their distribution. Currently, M. thibetana is mainly concentrated in central, eastern, southern, and southwestern China, and M. arctoides is mainly concentrated in three provinces (Yunnan, Guangxi, and Guangdong) in southern China. The MaxEnt model predicted that the suitable habitat for both species will increase with increased greenhouse emission scenarios. We also found that with the further increase in greenhouse emissions M. thibetana is expected to migrate to western China, and M. arctoides is expected to migrate to western or eastern China. This reinterpretation of the distribution of M. thibetana and M. arctoides in China, and predicted potential suitable habitat and possible migration direction, may provide new insights into the future conservation and management of these two species.
Unsolvable Problems in Groups With Solvable Word Problem

Let G be a finitely presented group with solvable word problem. It is of some interest to ask which other decision problems must necessarily be solvable for such a group. Thus it is easy to see that there exist effective procedures to determine whether or not such a group is trivial, or nilpotent of a given class. On the other hand, the conjugacy problem need not be solvable for such a group, for Fridman [5] has shown that the word problem is solvable for the group with unsolvable conjugacy problem given by Novikov [9].
Molecular profiling of the stroke-induced alterations in the cerebral microvasculature reveals promising therapeutic candidates

Significance The limited understanding of the molecular mechanisms governing cerebral microvascular dysfunction in stroke has been a major obstacle in the development of novel therapeutic approaches. Herein, we elucidated the stroke-induced transcriptomic changes in the mouse cerebral microvasculature and compared them with the alterations observed in human brain stroke lesions. Our study revealed the presence of shared alterations in microvessel-enriched, vascular disease-associated, druggable targets, highlighting the relevance of cerebral microvascular dysfunction in human stroke pathophysiology. We have also identified molecular alterations in the sphingolipid metabolism and signaling pathway in the cerebral microvasculature, which were significantly altered in human stroke. Our work provides a knowledge platform for future investigation of novel endothelial-enriched therapeutic candidates in stroke.
Multi-scale and local feature guidance network for corneal nerve fiber segmentation

Objective. Corneal confocal microscopy (CCM) is a rapid and non-invasive ophthalmic imaging technique that can reveal corneal nerve fiber. The automatic segmentation of corneal nerve fiber in CCM images is vital for the subsequent abnormality analysis, which is the main basis for the early diagnosis of degenerative neurological systemic diseases such as diabetic peripheral neuropathy. Approach. In this paper, a U-shape encoder–decoder structure based multi-scale and local feature guidance neural network (MLFGNet) is proposed for the automatic corneal nerve fiber segmentation in CCM images. Three novel modules including multi-scale progressive guidance (MFPG) module, local feature guided attention (LFGA) module, and multi-scale deep supervision (MDS) module are proposed and applied in skip connection, bottom of the encoder and decoder path respectively, which are designed from both multi-scale information fusion and local information extraction perspectives to enhance the network’s ability to discriminate the global and local structure of nerve fibers. The proposed MFPG module solves the imbalance between semantic information and spatial information, the LFGA module enables the network to capture attention relationships on local feature maps and the MDS module fully utilizes the relationship between high-level and low-level features for feature reconstruction in the decoder path. Main results. The proposed MLFGNet is evaluated on three CCM image Datasets, the Dice coefficients reach 89.33%, 89.41%, and 88.29% respectively. Significance. The proposed method has excellent segmentation performance for corneal nerve fibers and outperforms other state-of-the-art methods.
Investing to gain others’ trust: Cognitive abstraction increases prosocial behavior and trust received from others

Being trusted has many positive implications for one’s wellbeing (e.g., a better career, more satisfying interpersonal relationships). Scholars have suggested that people actively attempt to earn trust. However, it is not clear what makes people invest in actions that may earn them trust. We propose that cognitive abstraction (more than concreteness) facilitates seeing the long-term benefits of performing behaviors (i.e., prosocial behaviors) for gaining trust. We conducted a survey among employees and their supervisors and two yoked experiments—total N = 1098 or 549 pairs. In support of our claim, we find that cognitive abstraction leads to more prosocial behavior, which subsequently increases trust received. Furthermore, the effect of abstraction on the performance of prosocial behavior is limited to situations where such behavior can be observed by others (and thus be a basis for gaining observers’ trust). Our research shows when and why people decide to act in ways that may gain them trust and clarifies how cognitive abstraction influences the display of prosocial behavior and the subsequent trust received from fellow organization members.