Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Education Research: A Long-term Faculty Development Initiative Improves Speci ﬁ city and Usefulness of Narrative Evaluations of Clerkship Students

Background and Objectives Narrative-based evaluations are increasingly used to discriminate between levels of trainee performance, yet barriers to high-quality narratives remain. Prior evidence shows mixed results regarding the e ﬀ ectiveness of faculty development e ﬀ orts on improving narrative evaluation quality. Methods We used a quasi-experimental study incorporating a historical control group to examine the e ﬀ ectiveness of a pragmatic, multipronged, 4-year faculty development initiative on narrative evaluation quality in a neurology clerkship. We evaluated narrative evaluation quality using the narrative evaluation quality instrument (NEQI) in random samples of narrative evaluations from a historical control and intervention group. We used multilevel modeling to compare NEQI scores (and subscale scores) across groups. Informed by the theory of deliberate practice, our faculty development initiative included (1) annual grand rounds sessions focused on developing high-quality narratives and reporting evaluation metrics, (2) restructuring the clerkship assessment form to simplify and prioritize narratives, (3) recruiting key faculty to rotate on the clerkship grading committee to gain experience with and practice developing quality narratives, and (4) instituting a narrative evaluation excellence award to faculty and residents.
Editorial: In vivo investigations on neurological disorders: From traditional approaches to forefront technologies

COPYRIGHT © 2022 Curia, Estrada-Camarena, Manjarrez and Mizuno. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms. Editorial: In vivo investigations on neurological disorders: From traditional approaches to forefront technologies
Frankincense oil-loaded nanoemulsion formulation of paclitaxel and erucin: A synergistic combination for ameliorating drug resistance in breast cancer: In vitro and in vivo study

Nanoformulation-based combinational drug delivery systems are well known to overcome drug resistance in cancer management. Among them, nanoemulsions are well-known and thermodynamically stable drug delivery systems suitable for carrying hydrophobic drugs and phytoconstituents to tackle drug-resistant cancers. In the present study, we have investigated the effect of paclitaxel in combination with erucin (natural isothiocyanate isolated from the seeds of Eruca sativa) loaded in the frankincense oil-based nanoemulsion formulation. The choice of frankincense oil for the current study was based on reported research investigations stating its magnificient therapeutic potential against breast cancer. Optimized nanoemulsion of paclitaxel (PTX) and erucin (ER) combination (EPNE) provided sustained release and exhibited enhanced cytotoxicity towards human epithelial breast cancer cells (T-47D) as compared to individual ER and PTX. EPNE was further assessed for its antitumor activity in the 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA)-induced breast cancer mice model. EPNE significantly decreased the levels of hepatic and renal parameters along with oxidative stress in breast cancer mice. Furthermore, EPNE also showed decreased levels of inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-6. Histopathological examinations revealed restoration of the tumorous breast to normal tissues in EPNE-treated breast cancer mice. Therefore, EPNE can act as a viable lead and therapeutic option for drug-resistant breast cancer.
Unusual patterns of hybridization involving two alpine Salvia species: Absence of both F1 and backcrossed hybrids

Natural hybridization plays an important role in speciation; however, we still know little about the mechanisms underlying the early stages of hybrid speciation. Hybrid zones are commonly dominated by F1s, or backcrosses, which impedes further speciation. In the present study, morphological traits and double digest restriction‐site associated DNA sequencing (ddRAD-seq) data have been used to confirm natural hybridization between Salvia flava and S. castanea, the first case of identification of natural hybridization using combined phenotypic and molecular evidence in the East Asian clade of Salvia. We further examined several reproductive barriers in both pre-zygotic and post-zygotic reproductive stages to clarify the causes and consequences of the hybridization pattern. Our results revealed that reproductive isolation between the two species was strong despite the occurrence of hybridization. Interestingly, we found that most of the hybrids were likely to be F2s. This is a very unusual pattern of hybridization, and has rarely been reported before. The prevalence of geitonogamy within these self-compatible hybrids due to short distance foraging by pollinators might explain the origin of this unusual pattern. F2s can self-breed and develop further, therefore, we might be witnessing the early stages of hybrid speciation. Our study provides a new case for understanding the diversification of plants on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.
Impairment of muscular endothelial cell regeneration in dermatomyositis

Background and aim Inflammatory myopathies are heterogeneous in terms of etiology, (immuno)pathology, and clinical findings. Endothelial cell injury, as it occurs in DM, is a common feature of numerous inflammatory and non-inflammatory vascular diseases. Vascular regeneration is mediated by both local and blood-derived mechanisms, such as the mobilization and activation of so-called proangiogenic cells (PACs) or early endothelial progenitor cells (eEPCs). The current study aimed to evaluate parameters of eEPC integrity in dermatomyositis (DM), compared to necrotizing myopathy (NM) and to non-myopathic controls. Methods Blood samples from DM and NM patients were compared to non-myositis controls and analyzed for the following parameters: circulating CD133+/VEGFR-2+ cells, number of colony-forming unit endothelial cells (CFU-ECs), concentrations of angiopoietin 1, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and CXCL-16. Muscle biopsies from DM and NM subjects underwent immunofluorescence analysis for CXCR6, nestin, and CD31 (PECAM-1). Finally, myotubes, derived from healthy donors, were stimulated with serum samples from DM and NM patients, subsequently followed by RT-PCR for the following candidates: IL-1β, IL-6, nestin, and CD31. Results Seventeen (17) DM patients, 7 NM patients, and 40 non-myositis controls were included. CD133+/VEGFR-2+ cells did not differ between the groups. Both DM and NM patients showed lower CFU-ECs than controls. In DM, intramuscular CD31 abundances were significantly reduced, which indicated vascular rarefaction. Muscular CXCR6 was elevated in both diseases. Circulating CXCL-16 was higher in DM and NM in contrast, compared to controls. Serum from patients with DM but not NM induced a profound upregulation of mRNS expression of CD31 and IL-6 in cultured myotubes. Conclusion Our study demonstrates the loss of intramuscular microvessels in DM, accompanied by endothelial activation in DM and NM. Vascular regeneration was impaired in DM and NM. The findings suggest a role for inflammation-associated vascular damage in the pathogenesis of DM.
Optimized CT-TDLAS reconstruction performance evaluation of least squares with the polynomial-fitting method

Computed tomography-tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy (CT-TDLAS) has been widely used in the diagnosis of the combustion flow field. Several optimized CT reconstruction algorithms such as iteration methods, transformation methods, and nonlinear least squares were applied. Considering the industrial application background, the performances of algebraic iteration reconstruction with the simultaneous algebra reconstruction technique (SART), Tikhonov regularization, and least squares with the polynomial fitting method were discussed in this study. For the mentioned algorithm, identical simulated reconstruction parameters that contained 32-path laser structures, assumed temperature distribution, and absorption databases were adopted to evaluate the reconstruction performance including accuracy, efficiency, and measurement of environment applicability. In this study, different CT reconstruction algorithms were also used to calculate the temperature distribution of the Bunsen burner flame. The different reconstruction results were compared with thermocouple detection data. With the theoretically simulated and experimental analysis, the least squares with the polynomial fitting technique has advantages in reconstruction accuracy, calculation efficiency, and laser path applicability for the measurement condition. It will be helpful in enhancing CT-TDLAS technique development.
Unconscious load changer: Designing method to subtly influence load perception by simply presenting modified myoelectricity sensor information

Systems of presenting myoelectricity sensor information allow users to understand the body's load for various purposes, such as medical rehabilitation and sports training. If there is a method to create the psychological phenomenon of unconsciously increasing or decreasing a user's load perception simply by changing how to present the myoelectricity sensor values, it will help design a more effective system. Therefore, we propose a method to manipulate load perception by presenting modified myoelectricity sensor information. The proposed method aims to induce higher or lower load perception by modifying the actual myoelectric value to a higher or lower value. We implemented a prototype system and evaluated our method for the two types of load perception of weight perception and fatigue perception when handling objects. The result showed that most subjects unconsciously increased or decreased their load perception to match the presented myoelectric value, while the minority subjects got the opposite response from the majority subjects. This result indicates the feasibility of user assistance systems that use this phenomenon for a good purpose, such as systems that slightly reduce the load perception during physical activity. On the other hand, this result also indicates the feasibility of systems that use this phenomenon for a bad purpose, such as systems that increase user's fatigue to harm user's activity. This study provides helpful findings for designing and using sensor information presentation systems considering the psychological phenomenon.
SEARCH FOR SUPERMASSIVE BLACK HOLE BINARIES IN THE SLOAN DIGITAL SKY SURVEY SPECTROSCOPIC SAMPLE

Supermassive black hole (SMBH) binaries are expected in a ΛCDM cosmology given that most (if not all) massive galaxies contain a massive black hole (BH) at their center. So far, however, direct evidence for such binaries has been elusive. We use cross-correlation to search for temporal velocity shifts in the Mg ii broad emission lines of 0.36 < z < 2 quasars with multiple observations in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. For ∼109 M☉ BHs in SMBH binaries, we are sensitive to velocity drifts for binary separations of ∼0.1 pc with orbital periods of ∼100 yr. We find seven candidate sub-parsec-scale binaries with velocity shifts >3. 4σ ∼ 280 km s−1, where σ is our systematic error. Comparing the detectability of SMBH binaries with the number of candidates (N ⩽ 7), we can rule out that most 109 M☉ BHs exist in ∼0.03–0.2 pc scale binaries, in a scenario where binaries stall at sub-parsec scales for a Hubble time. We further constrain that ⩽16% (one-third) of quasars host SMBH binaries after considering gas-assisted sub-parsec evolution of SMBH binaries, although this result is very sensitive to the assumed size of the broad line region. We estimate the detectability of SMBH binaries with ongoing or next-generation surveys (e.g., Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey, Subaru Prime Focus Spectrograph), taking into account the evolution of the sub-parsec binary in circumbinary gas disks. These future observations will provide longer time baselines for searches similar to ours and may in turn constrain the evolutionary scenarios of SMBH binaries.
THERMOHALINE INSTABILITIES INSIDE STARS: A SYNTHETIC STUDY INCLUDING EXTERNAL TURBULENCE AND RADIATIVE LEVITATION

We have derived a new expression for the thermohaline mixing coefficient in stars, including the effects of radiative levitation and external turbulence, by solving Boussinesq equations in a nearly incompressible stratified fluid with a linear approximation. It is well known that radiative levitation of individual elements can lead to their accumulation in specific stellar layers. In some cases, it can induce important effects on the stellar structure. Here we confirm that this accumulation is moderated by thermohaline convection due to the resulting inverse μ-gradient. The new coefficient that we have derived shows that the effect of radiative accelerations on the thermohaline instability itself is small. This effect must however be checked in all computations. We also confirm that the presence of large horizontal turbulence can reduce or even suppress the thermohaline convection. These results are important as they concern all the cases of heavy element accumulation in stars. Computations of radiative diffusion must be revisited to include thermohaline convection and its consequences. It may be one of the basic reasons for the fact that the observed abundances are always smaller than those predicted by pure atomic diffusion. In any case, these processes have to compete with rotation-induced mixing, but this competition is more complex than previously thought due to their mutual interaction.
Multiscale anisotropy analysis of second-harmonic generation collagen imaging of human pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the deadliest cancers with a minority (< 10%) of patients surviving five years past diagnosis. This could be improved with the development of new imaging modalities for early differentiation of benign and cancerous fibrosis. This study intends to explore the application of a two-photon microscopy technique known as second harmonic generation to PDAC using the 2D Wavelet Transform Modulus Maxima (WTMM) Anisotropy method to quantify collagen organization in fibrotic pancreatic tissue. Forty slides from PDAC patients were obtained and eight images were captured per each tissue category on each slide. Brownian surface motion and white noise images were generated for calibration and testing of a new variable binning approach to the 2D WTMM Anisotropy method. The variable binning method had greater resistance to wavelet scaling effects and white noise images were found to have the lowest anisotropy factor. Cancer and fibrosis had greater anisotropy factors (Fa) at small wavelet scales than normal and normal adjacent tissue. At a larger scale of 21 μm this relationship changed with normal tissue having a higher Fa than all other tissue groups. White noise is the best representative image for isotropy and the 2D WTMM anisotropy method is sensitive to changes induced in collagen by PDAC.
Thorax radiotherapy using 18F-positron emission tomography/computed tomography-guided precision radiotherapy is a prognostic factor for survival in patients with extracranial oligometastatic non-small cell lung cancer:A two-center propensity score-matched analysis

Background This retrospective study compared positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) and CT in the treatment of extracranial oligometastatic non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and explored the impact of thorax radiotherapy (TRT) on patient survival. Methods We reviewed the medical records of Chinese patients with stage IV extracranial oligometastatic NSCLC who underwent PET/CT or CT at two centers. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to control differences in patient characteristics between the maintenance chemotherapy alone and TRT plus maintenance chemotherapy groups. Results We analyzed 192 eligible patients. The median survival time was better in patients who received PET/CT than in those who only received CT (n = 192, 16 months vs. 6 months, p<0.001). Subgroup analysis showed the median survival time was significantly longer in the TRT plus maintenance group than in the chemotherapy alone group in patients who underwent PET/CT examinations (n = 94, 25 months vs. 11 months, p<0.001). However, there was no statistical difference in survival between both groups in patients who underwent CT examinations (n = 98, 8 months vs. 5 months, p = 0.180). A multifactorial analysis revealed a more favorable prognosis in patients who underwent PET/CT evaluation (HR: 0.343, 95% CI: 0.250-0.471, p <0.001) and TRT (HR: 0.624, 95% CI: 0.464-0.840, p = 0.002), than in those who did not. PSM was consistent with these results. Conclusions PET/CT-guided TRT is associated with improved clinical outcomes in patients with stage IV extracranial oligometastatic NSCLC.
Up-regulation of CB1 cannabinoid receptors located at glutamatergic terminals in the medial prefrontal cortex of the obese Zucker rat

The present study describes a detailed neuroanatomical distribution map of the cannabinoid type 1 (CB1) receptor, along with the biochemical characterization of the expression and functional coupling to their cognate Gi/o proteins in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPCx) of the obese Zucker rats. The CB1 receptor density was higher in the prelimbic (PL) and infralimbic (IL) subregions of the mPCx of obese Zucker rats relative to their lean littermates which was associated with a higher percentage of CB1 receptor immunopositive excitatory presynaptic terminals in PL and IL. Also, a higher expression of CB1 receptors and WIN55,212-2-stimulated [35S]GTPγS binding was observed in the mPCx but not in the neocortex (NCx) and hippocampus of obese rats. Low-frequency stimulation in layers II/III of the mPCx induced CB1 receptor-dependent long-term synaptic plasticity in IL of area obese Zucker but not lean rats. Overall, the elevated 2-AG levels, up-regulation of CB1 receptors, and increased agonist-stimulated [35S]GTPγS binding strongly suggest that hyperactivity of the endocannabinoid signaling takes place at the glutamatergic terminals of the mPCx in the obese Zucker rat. These findings could endorse the importance of the CB1 receptors located in the mPCx in the development of obesity in Zucker rats.
Expediting TTS Synthesis with Adversarial Vocoding

Recent approaches in text-to-speech (TTS) synthesis employ neural network strategies to vocode perceptually-informed spectrogram representations directly into listenable waveforms. Such vocoding procedures create a computational bottleneck in modern TTS pipelines. We propose an alternative approach which utilizes generative adversarial networks (GANs) to learn mappings from perceptually-informed spectrograms to simple magnitude spectrograms which can be heuristically vocoded. Through a user study, we show that our approach significantly outperforms naive vocoding strategies while being hundreds of times faster than neural network vocoders used in state-of-the-art TTS systems. We also show that our method can be used to achieve state-of-the-art results in unsupervised synthesis of individual words of speech.
ZoomOut

We present a simple and efficient method for refining maps or correspondences by iterative upsampling in the spectral domain that can be implemented in a few lines of code. Our main observation is that high quality maps can be obtained even if the input correspondences are noisy or are encoded by a small number of coefficients in a spectral basis. We show how this approach can be used in conjunction with existing initialization techniques across a range of application scenarios, including symmetry detection, map refinement across complete shapes, non-rigid partial shape matching and function transfer. In each application we demonstrate an improvement with respect to both the quality of the results and the computational speed compared to the best competing methods, with up to two orders of magnitude speed-up in some applications. We also demonstrate that our method is both robust to noisy input and is scalable with respect to shape complexity. Finally, we present a theoretical justification for our approach, shedding light on structural properties of functional maps.
Identification of mRNA expression biomarkers associated with epilepsy and response to valproate with co-expression analysis

Purpose Valproate (VPA) resistance was reported to be an important predictor of intractable epilepsy. We conducted this study to identify candidate biomarkers in peripheral blood correlated with VPA resistance. Methods The microarray dataset (GSE143272) was downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was performed to construct co-expression modules and obtain the most prominent module associated with VPA resistance. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between VPA-responsive and VPA-resistant patients were obtained using the “Limma” package in R. The intersections between the most prominent module and DEGs were identified as target genes. Metascape was performed to discover the possible involved pathways of the target genes. GeneCards database was used to know the function of each target gene. Results All genes in the GSE143272 were divided into 24 different modules. Among these modules, the darkred module showed a pivotal correlation with VPA resistance. A total of 70 DEGs between VPA-responsive and VPA-resistant patients were identified. After taking the intersection, 25 target genes were obtained. The 25 target genes were significantly enriched in T cell receptor recognition, T cell receptor signaling pathway, regulation of T cell activation, cytokine–cytokine receptor interaction, and in utero embryonic development. Half of the target genes (CD3D, CD3G, CXCR3, CXCR6, GATA3, GZMK, IL7R, LIME1, SIRPG, THEMIS, TRAT1, and ZNF683) were directly involved in the T cell development, migration, and activation signaling pathway. Conclusion We identified 25 target genes prominently associated with VPA resistance, which could be potential candidate biomarkers for epilepsy resistance in peripheral blood. The peripheral blood T cells may play a crucial role in VPA resistance. Those genes and pathways might become therapeutic targets with clinical usefulness in the future.