Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Radiation dose fractionation and its potential hormetic effects on male Glossina palpalis gambiensis (Diptera: Glossinidae): a comparative study of reproductive and flight quality parameters

One of the most critical factors for implementing the sterile insect technique for the management of tsetse is the production of large quantities of highly competitive sterile males in the field. Several factors may influence the biological quality of sterile males, but optimizing the irradiation protocols to limit unwanted somatic cell damage could improve male performance. This study evaluated the effect of fractionation of gamma radiation doses on the fertility and flight quality of male Glossina palpalis gambiensis. Induced sterility was assessed by mating irradiated males with virgin fertile females. Flight quality was assessed using a standard protocol. The male flies were irradiated as pupae on day 23–27 post larviposition with 110 Gy, either in a single dose or in fractionations of 10 + 100 Gy and 50 + 60 Gy separated by 1-, 2- and 3-day intervals or 55 + 55 Gy separated by 4-, 8-, and 24-hour intervals. All treatments induced more than 90% sterility in females mated with irradiated males, as compared with untreated males. No significant differences were found in emergence rate or flight propensity between fractionated and single radiation doses, nor between the types of fractionations. Overall, the 50(D0) + 60(D1) Gy dose showed slightly higher induced sterility, flight propensity, and survival of males under feeding regime. Dose fractionation resulted in only small improvements with respect to flight propensity and survival, and this should be traded off with the required increase in labor that dose fractionation entails, especially in larger control programs.
Structure and Biosynthesis of Hectoramide B, a Linear Depsipeptide from Marine Cyanobacterium Moorena producens JHB Discovered via Coculture with Candida albicans

The tropical marine cyanobacterium Moorena producens JHB is a prolific source of secondary metabolites with potential biomedical utility. Previous studies on this strain led to the discovery of several novel compounds such as hectochlorins and jamaicamides. However, bioinformatic analyses of its genome indicate the presence of numerous cryptic biosynthetic gene clusters that have yet to be characterized. To potentially stimulate the production of novel compounds from this strain, it was cocultured with Candida albicans. From this experiment, we observed the increased production of a new compound that we characterize here as hectoramide B. Bioinformatic analysis of the M. producens JHB genome enabled the identification of a putative biosynthetic gene cluster responsible for hectoramide B biosynthesis. This work demonstrates that coculture competition experiments can be a valuable method to facilitate the discovery of novel natural products from cyanobacteria.
A Cell-Based Nasal Model for Screening the Deposition, Biocompatibility, and Transport of Aerosolized PLGA Nanoparticles

The olfactory region of the nasal cavity directly links the brain to the external environment, presenting a potential direct route to the central nervous system (CNS). However, targeting drugs to the olfactory region is challenging and relies on a combination of drug formulation, delivery device, and administration technique to navigate human nasal anatomy. In addition, in vitro and in vivo models utilized to evaluate the performance of nasal formulations do not accurately reflect deposition and uptake in the human nasal cavity. The current study describes the development of a respirable poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) nanoparticle (PLGA NP) formulation, delivered via a pressurized metered dose inhaler (pMDI), and a cell-containing three-dimensional (3D) human nasal cast model for deposition assessment of nasal formulations in the olfactory region. Fluorescent PLGA NPs (193 ± 3 nm by dynamic light scattering) were successfully formulated in an HFA134a-based pMDI and were collected intact following aerosolization. RPMI 2650 cells, widely employed as a nasal epithelial model, were grown at the air–liquid interface (ALI) for 14 days to develop a suitable barrier function prior to exposure to the aerosolized PLGA NPs in a glass deposition apparatus. Direct aerosol exposure was shown to have little effect on cell viability. Compared to an aqueous NP suspension, the transport rate of the aerosolized NPs across the RPMI 2650 barrier was higher at all time points indicating the potential advantages of delivery via aerosolization and the importance of employing ALI cellular models for testing respirable formulations. The PLGA NPs were then aerosolized into a 3D-printed human nasal cavity model with an insert of ALI RPMI 2650 cells positioned in the olfactory region. Cells remained highly viable, and there was significant deposition of the fluorescent NPs on the ALI cultures. This study is a proof of concept that pMDI delivery of NPs is a viable means of targeting the olfactory region for nose-to-brain drug delivery (NTBDD). The cell-based model allows not only maintenance under ALI culture conditions but also sampling from the basal chamber compartment; hence, this model could be adapted to assess drug deposition, uptake, and transport kinetics in parallel under real-life settings.
Outcomes of Metastatic and Unresectable Small Bowel Adenocarcinoma in Japan According to the Treatment Strategy: A Nationwide Observational Study

PURPOSE Limited information is available regarding the characteristics and outcomes of stage IV small bowel adenocarcinoma (SBA) in Japan. This study examined the clinical and pathological characteristics and outcomes according to the treatment strategies in patients with stage IV SBA. METHODS This retrospective observational study used the data of patients with jejunal or ileal adenocarcinoma collected by the Small Bowel Malignant Tumor Project of the Japanese Society for Cancer of the Colon and Rectum. Descriptive statistics were expressed as the mean (standard deviation) or median (range). Survival analysis was performed using Kaplan-Meier curves and pairwise log-rank tests. RESULTS Data from 128 patients were analyzed. The treatment strategies were chemotherapy alone (26 of 128, 20.3%), surgery alone (including palliative surgery; 21 of 128, 16.4%), surgery + chemotherapy (74 of 128, 57.8%), and best supportive care (7 of 128, 5.5%). The median (range) overall survival was 16 (0-125) months overall, and 11 (1-38) months, 8 (0-80) months, 18 (0-125) months, and 0 (0-1) months for the chemotherapy, surgery, surgery + chemotherapy, and best supportive care groups, respectively. Three main categories of chemotherapeutic regimen were used: a combination of fluoropyrimidine and oxaliplatin (F + Ox), fluoropyrimidine and irinotecan (F + Iri), and single-agent fluoropyrimidine. Among patients treated with chemotherapy, the median (range) OS was 16 (1-106) months overall, and 17 (1-87) months, 29 (7-39) months, and 16 (1-106) months in patients treated with fluoropyrimidine, F + Iri, and F + Ox, respectively. CONCLUSION Patients treated with surgery, chemotherapy, or both had a better prognosis than those who received best supportive care. Among patients who received chemotherapy, survival did not differ according to the chemotherapeutic regimen.
3 When Space Travel and Nanotechnology Met at the Fountains of Paradise

In recent years, there has been much debate among pundits and prognosticators about “converging technologies” or “technological singularities. ” Simply put, these visions hold that sometime in the twenty-fi rst century human society will arrive at a point when rapidly accelerating technological change will bring changes such as new industrial revolutions, unity between fi elds of scientifi c research, and perhaps radical changes in human intelligence and capabilities (Roco & Bainbridge, 2003; Vinge, 1983). 1 Advocates of these “convergence” scenarios say it is not a matter of whether these technologies will come together, but simply when and how (Kurzweil, 2005). Critics, meanwhile, say such predictions are rooted in the selective observations about previous technological trends, with the singularity itself representing a “set of untestable assumptions about our near future” (Hassler, 2008, p. 9). Utopian beliefs about the transformative eff ects of technology are not new, of course. They typically refl ect a progressive vision of the future rooted in a technologically determinist framework (McCray, 2005; Segal, 1985). In the mid-twentieth century, the technological frontier was, of course, space exploration. Scholars, scientists, and journalists predicted that an expanded human presence in space was inevitable with profound societal and economic changes to follow (Mazlish, 1965; McCurdy, 1997). The fi rst decades of human space exploration generated huge amounts of media attention, inspired schoolchildren to pursue careers in science, and motivated governments to spend billions of dollars in competition with one another. The similarities between imaginations of the space future in the 1960s resonate strongly with those for nanotechnology and singularity-like scenarios circa 2001. Throughout history, of course, technologies have converged in many creative and surprising ways (Thompson, 2009). In the 1950s and 1960s, for example, the tools for space exploration were the example par excellence of a converging technology. Engineering studies and fi ctional scenarios for space exploration brought together frontier computing technologies and studies of human physiology in extreme environments with advanced microelectronics and the development of new high-tech
Epidural Plasma Rich in Growth Factors for Degenerative Disc Disease: A Valuable Alternative to Conventional “Palliative Medicine”

It is only through the understanding of lumbar spine pathophysiology and its clinical correlates that specific rational treatment for patients becomes possible. Intervertebral disc disease (IDD) is a progressive, chronic, degenerative disease. Over time, the degeneration worsens and ultimately becomes irreversible. The pathogenesis of IDD involves a complex interplay of inflammatory, immunological, and pressure-related processes. Current treatments for IDD, proposed in most ´consensus protocols´ do not correspond to the pathophysiological process involved in the IDD, as these treatments are mainly focused on relieving pain (palliative pain medicine). Surgical techniques (including fusion, laminectomy, and discectomy), aim to stabilize the spine and/or decompress the spinal or the foraminal canal thus alleviating symptoms, but these techniques are not addressed to regarding the cause of the degeneration, and sometimes even accelerate the degeneration of the adjacent segments. Recently, biological therapies have been attracting more attention in the field of intervertebral disc repair and regeneration. Plasma rich in growth factors (PRGF) has the ability to repair and regenerate bone and condral tissue and has a remarkable neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory actions by modulating the immune response, reversing IDD and relieving the neuropathic pain. Growth factors have been associated with the initiation of a healing cascade that leads to cellular chemotaxis, angiogenesis, synthesis of collagen matrix, and cell proliferation. This paper briefly describes the current understanding of growth factors and our experience with PRGF injected by the epidural route.
Time Budget and Behavioral Diurnal Rhythms of the Ferruginous Ducks in Autumn

We conducted a study on time budget behavioral daily rhythm of Ferruginous Ducks( Aythya nyroca)at the Baihu Lake in Urumqi,Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region from July to November 2012 and recorded their behaviors and time budget.Six types of behaviors were identified as forage,maintain,locomotion,resting,alert and other including all the behaviors not mentioned above.Ferruginous Ducks spent their 56.7%active time in foraging,13.8% in locomotion,11.8% in maintenance,11.2% in resting,5.1% in alert and1.4% in other behavior.The ducks invested their active time on forage,rest and maintain was extremely different( P 0.01) between the periods of July to September and October to November,But they did not change their time duration in locomotion behavior between the same periods( P 0.05). The active pecks of foraging,resting and maintaining varied with time period,while locomotion behavior peaked at 12:00- 13:00during the study period.The ducks scatter foraged on the water surface,but they usually rested together.Alarge group( about 37 individuals) was observed in the middle of October before they left in late October for migration.
Biomass and Nutrients in Aboveground Vegetation and Soils of Florida Oak-Saw Palmetto Scrub

We sampled aboveground biomass in four stands of oak-saw palmetto scrub vegetation that were 2, 4, 8, and 25 years since the previous fire by harvesting 1 m2 plots. Biomass samples were analyzed for major nutrients. We sampled and analyzed soils from the 0-15 cm and 15-30 cm layers. Stands were dominated by Quercus myrtifolia, Q. geminata, Q. chapmanii, Serenoa repens, and ericaceous shrubs. Live aboveground biomass (excluding saw palmetto rhizomes) increased with time since fire. Litter biomass increased for eight years after fire. Standing dead biomass was an important component of aboveground biomass throughout the time sequence. Aboveground saw palmetto rhizomes were a major biomass category. Nutrient concentrations in live aboveground biomass did not appear to change with time since fire and were similar to those in other shrublands. Biomass pools of major nutrients frequently equaled or exceeded those in the soil, but wetter sites had more organic matter and nutrients in the soil. Atmospheric deposition of N, P, Ca, Mg, and K was low compared to biomass pools. Retention of nutrients in soils and regrowing vegetation after fire may be important to the persistence of scrub on low nutrient soils.
Heat and Cold Wave–Related Mortality Risk among United States Veterans with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Case-Crossover Study

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a heterogeneous pulmonary disease affecting 16 million Americans. Individuals with COPD are susceptible to environmental disturbances including heat and cold waves that can exacerbate disease symptoms. Objective: Our objective was to estimate heat and cold wave–associated mortality risks within a population diagnosed with a chronic respiratory disease. Methods: We collected individual level data with geocoded residential addresses from the Veterans Health Administration on 377,545 deceased patients with COPD (2016 to 2021). A time stratified case-crossover study was designed to estimate the incidence rate ratios (IRR) of heat and cold wave mortality risks using conditional logistic regression models examining lagged effects up to 7 d. Attributable risks (AR) were calculated for the lag day with the strongest association for heat and cold waves, respectively. Effect modification by age, gender, race, and ethnicity was also explored. Results: Heat waves had the strongest effect on all-cause mortality at lag day 0 [IRR: 1.04; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.02, 1.06] with attenuated effects by lag day 1. The AR at lag day 0 was 651 (95% CI: 326, 975) per 100,000 veterans. The effect of cold waves steadily increased from lag day 2 and plateaued at lag day 4 (IRR: 1.04; 95% CI: 1.02, 1.07) with declining but still elevated effects over the remaining 7-d lag period. The AR at lag day 4 was 687 (95% CI: 344, 1,200) per 100,000 veterans. Differences in risk were also detected upon stratification by gender and race. Discussion: Our study demonstrated harmful associations between heat and cold waves among a high-risk population of veterans with COPD using individual level health data. Future research should emphasize using individual level data to better estimate the associations between extreme weather events and health outcomes for high-risk populations with chronic medical conditions. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP13176
Genetic variants in primary cilia‐related genes associated with the prognosis of first‐line chemotherapy in colorectal cancer

Abstract Background Primary cilia are antenna‐like organelles that conduct physical and chemical signals, which affect cell proliferation, migration, and differentiation. Some researchers have reported the correlation between primary cilia‐related genes and prognosis of colorectal cancer (CRC). Methods The association between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of primary cilia‐related genes and outcome after the first‐line chemotherapy was explored by the Cox regression model. Expression qualitative trait locus (eQTL) analysis was performed to explore the impact of SNPs on gene expression. Tumor Immune Estimation Resource and TISIDB databases were used for investigating the relevance between ODF2L and tumor infiltration immune cells and immunomodulators. Results We identified that rs4288473 C allele of ODF2L had poor progression‐free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) of CRC patients in the additive model (adjusted HRPFS = 1.39, 95% CI = 1.14–1.70, p = 1.36 × 10−3, and adjusted HROS = 1.31, 95% CI = 1.03–1.65, p = 2.62 × 10−2). The stratified analysis indicated that rs4288573 CC/CT genotype was involved with poor prognosis in the irinotecan‐treated subgroup (P PFS = 1.03 × 10−2, P OS = 3.29 × 10−3). Besides, ODF2L mRNA expression level was notably up‐regrated in CRC tissues. The C allele of rs4288573 was notably related to higher ODF2L mRNA expression levels based on eQTL analysis. Functionally, knockdown of ODF2L inhibited cell proliferation and decrease the chemoresistance of HCT‐116 and DLD‐1 cells to irinotecan. Conclusion Our study indicates that rs4288573 in ODF2L is a potential predictor of the chemotherapy prognosis of CRC.
Charge heterogeneity of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies by different cIEF systems: views on the current situation

ABSTRACT Therapeutic mAbs show a specific “charge fingerprint” that may affect safety and efficacy, and, as such, it is often identified as a critical quality attribute (CQA). Capillary iso-electric focusing (cIEF), commonly used for the evaluation of such CQA, provides an analytical tool to investigate mAb purity and identity across the product lifecycle. Here, we discuss the results of an analysis of a panel of antibody products by conventional and whole-column imaging cIEF systems performed as part of European Pharmacopoeia activities related to development of “horizontal standards” for the quality control of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). The study aimed at designing and verifying an independent and transversal cIEF procedure for the reliable analysis of mAbs charge variants. Despite the use of comparable experimental conditions, discrepancies in the charge profile and measured isoelectric points emerged between the two cIEF systems. These data suggest that the results are method-dependent rather than absolute, an aspect known to experts in the field and pharmaceutical industry, but not suitably documented in the literature. Critical implications from analytical and regulatory perspectives, are herein thoughtfully discussed, with a special focus on the context of market surveillance and identification of falsified medicines.
Living with myocardial ischaemia and no obstructive coronary arteries: a qualitative study

Objective To explore the lived experience of people with myocardial ischaemia with no obstructive arteries. Design Qualitative study using semistructured interviews. Setting Telephone interviews with 17 participants living in the UK. Participants 17 people (2 males, 15 females; aged 31–69 years) with a presumed or confirmed diagnosis of myocardial ischaemia with no obstructive arteries, recruited via social media and online patient-led support forums. Results Five themes were generated. Theme 1 describes the wide range of experiences that participants described, particularly the frequency and intensity of symptoms, and the uncertainty and fear that symptoms commonly provoked. Theme 2 describes the major impact on social relationships, employment and other aspects of everyday life. Theme 3 illustrates challenging and traumatising experiences participants described around pathways to diagnosis and accessing medical support. Theme 4 highlights the lack of consensus and clarity that participants had been confronted with around treatment and management. Theme 5 describes coping and supportive strategies valued by participants. Conclusions This study provides insight into the challenges of living with myocardial ischaemia with no obstructive arteries. Findings highlight the significant psychological impact on people living with these conditions and the need for improvements in diagnosis, support and long-term management.
Deep Common Semantic Space Embedding for Sketch-Based 3D Model Retrieval

Sketch-based 3D model retrieval has become an important research topic in many applications, such as computer graphics and computer-aided design. Although sketches and 3D models have huge interdomain visual perception discrepancies, and sketches of the same object have remarkable intradomain visual perception diversity, the 3D models and sketches of the same class share common semantic content. Motivated by these findings, we propose a novel approach for sketch-based 3D model retrieval by constructing a deep common semantic space embedding using triplet network. First, a common data space is constructed by representing every 3D model as a group of views. Second, a common modality space is generated by translating views to sketches according to cross entropy evaluation. Third, a common semantic space embedding for two domains is learned based on a triplet network. Finally, based on the learned features of sketches and 3D models, four kinds of distance metrics between sketches and 3D models are designed, and sketch-based 3D model retrieval results are achieved. The experimental results using the Shape Retrieval Contest (SHREC) 2013 and SHREC 2014 datasets reveal the superiority of our proposed method over state-of-the-art methods.
Diagnostic Accuracy of 68Ga-FAPI Versus 18F-FDG PET in Patients with Various Malignancies.

To assess the diagnostic accuracy of 68Ga-labeled fibroblast activation protein inhibitor (FAPI) and 18F-labeled FDG PET for the detection of various tumors, we performed a head-to-head comparison of both imaging modalities across a range of tumor entities as part of our ongoing 68Ga-FAPI PET observational trial. Methods: The study included 115 patients with 8 tumor entities who received imaging with 68Ga-FAPI for tumor staging or restaging between October 2018 and March 2022. Of those, 103 patients received concomitant imaging with 68Ga-FAPI and 18F-FDG PET and had adequate lesion validation for accuracy analysis. Each scan was evaluated for the detection of primary tumor, lymph nodes, and visceral and bone metastases. True or false positivity and negativity to detected lesions was assigned on the basis of histopathology from biopsies or surgical excision, as well as imaging validation. Results: 68Ga-FAPI PET revealed higher accuracy than 18F-FDG PET in the detection of colorectal cancer (n = 14; per-patient, 85.7% vs. 78.6%; per-region, 95.6% vs. 91.1%) and prostate cancer (n = 22; per-patient, 100% vs. 90.9%; per-region, 96.4% vs. 92.7%). 68Ga-FAPI PET and 18F-FDG PET had comparable per-patient accuracy in detecting breast cancer (n = 16, 100% for both) and head and neck cancers (n = 10, 90% for both modalities). 68Ga-FAPI PET had lower per-patient accuracy than 18F-FDG PET in cancers of the bladder (n = 12, 75% vs. 100%) and kidney (n = 10, 80% vs. 90%), as well as lymphoma (n = 9, 88.9% vs. 100%) and myeloma (n = 10, 80% vs. 90%). Conclusion: 68Ga-FAPI PET demonstrated higher diagnostic accuracy than 18F-FDG PET in the diagnosis of colorectal cancer and prostate cancer, as well as comparable diagnostic performance for cancers of the breast and head and neck. Accuracy and impact on management will be further assessed in an ongoing prospective interventional trial (NCT05160051).