Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Real‐time functional magnetic resonance imaging neurofeedback can reduce striatal cue‐reactivity to alcohol stimuli

It has been shown that in alcoholic patients, alcohol‐related cues produce increased activation of reward‐related brain regions like the ventral striatum (VS), which has been proposed as neurobiological basis of craving. Modulating this activation might be a promising option in the treatment of alcohol addiction. One approach might be real‐time functional magnetic resonance imaging neurofeedback (rtfMRI NF). This study was set up to implement and evaluate a rtfMRI approach in a group of non‐addicted heavy social drinkers. Thirty‐eight heavy drinking students were assigned to a real feedback group (rFB, n = 13), a yoke feedback group (yFB, n = 13) and a passive control group (noFB, n = 12). After conducting a reward task as functional localizer to identify ventral striatal regions, the participants viewed alcohol cues during three NF training blocks in a 3 T MRI scanner. The rFB group received feedback from their own and the yFB from another participants' VS. The noFB group received no feedback. The rFB and the yFB groups were instructed to downregulate the displayed activation. Activation of the VS and prefrontal control regions was compared between the groups. We found significant downregulation of striatal regions specifically in the rFB group. While the rFB and the yFB groups showed significant activation of prefrontal regions during feedback, this activation was only correlated to the reduction of striatal activation in the rFB group. We conclude that rtfMRI NF is a suitable method to reduce striatal activation to alcohol cues. It might be a promising supplement to the treatment of alcoholic patients.
Magnetic solid-phase extraction based on carbon nanotubes for the determination of polyether antibiotic and s-triazine drug residues in animal food with LC-MS/MS.

Carbon nanotubes-magnetic nanoparticles, comprising ferroferric oxide nanoparticles and carbon nanotubes, were prepared through a simple one-step synthesis method and subsequently applied to magnetic solid-phase extraction for the determination of polyether antibiotic and s-triazine drug residues in animal food coupled with liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry. The nanocomposites were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and vibrating sample magnetometry. The components within the nanocomposites endowed the material with high extraction performance and manipulative convenience. Compared with carbon nanotubes, the as-prepared carbon nanotubes-magnetic nanoparticles showed better extraction and separation efficiencies for polyether antibiotics and s-triazine drugs thanks to the contribution of the iron-containing magnetic nanoparticles. Various experimental parameters affecting the extraction efficiency had been investigated in detail. Under the optimal conditions, the good linearity ranging from 1 to 200 μg/kg for diclazuril, toltrazuril, toltrazuril sulfone, lasalocid, monensin, salinomycin, narasin, nanchangmycin, and maduramicin, low limits of detection ranging from 1 to 5 μg/kg, and satisfactory spiked recoveries (77.1-91.2%, with the inter relative standard deviation values from 4.0 to 12.2%) were shown. It was confirmed that this novel method was an efficient pretreatment and enrichment procedure and could be successfully applied for extraction and determination of polyether and s-triazine drug residues in complex matrices.
Rapid and simple platelet function assay to assess glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptor blockade.

BACKGROUND The platelet glycoprotein (GP) IIb/IIIa receptor antagonist c7E3 Fab (abciximab; ReoPro) has been approved as an antithrombotic agent, and other GP IIb/IIIa antagonists, including oral agents, are under development. At present, there are no rapid and simple assays to monitor GP IIb/IIIa receptor blockade. METHODS AND RESULTS An assay was devised based on the ability of platelets in whole blood to rapidly agglutinate fibrinogen-coated beads when stimulated with a peptide, (iso-S)FLLRN, that activates a platelet thrombin receptor but resists inactivation by plasma aminopeptidase M. Preincubation of normal blood with increasing concentrations of c7E3 Fab led to increasing inhibition of the assay, correlating with increased GP IIb/IIIa receptor blockade. Assay conditions were chosen so that agglutination was inhibited at 2 minutes when > 82% of the receptors were blocked. Similar results were obtained with the use of GP IIb/IIIa antagonists based on the arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD) cell-recognition sequence. CONCLUSIONS A simple and rapid assay sensitive to GP IIb/IIIa receptor blockade has been developed that may be helpful in optimizing GP IIb/IIIa antagonist therapy.
Curcumin Suppresses Lung Cancer Stem Cells via Inhibiting Wnt/β‐catenin and Sonic Hedgehog Pathways

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are highly implicated in the progression of human cancers. Thus, targeting CSCs may be a promising strategy for cancer therapy. Wnt/β‐catenin and Sonic Hedgehog pathways play an important regulatory role in maintaining CSC characteristics. Natural compounds, such as curcumin, possess chemopreventive properties. However, the interventional effect of curcumin on lung CSCs has not been clarified. In the present study, tumorsphere formation assay was used to enrich lung CSCs from A549 and H1299 cells. We showed that the levels of lung CSC markers (CD133, CD44, ALDHA1, Nanog and Oct4) and the number of CD133‐positive cells were significantly elevated in the sphere‐forming cells. We further illustrated that curcumin efficiently abolished lung CSC traits, as evidenced by reduced tumorsphere formation, reduced number of CD133‐positive cells, decreased expression levels of lung CSC markers, as well as proliferation inhibition and apoptosis induction. Moreover, we demonstrated that curcumin suppressed the activation of both Wnt/β‐catenin and Sonic Hedgehog pathways. Taken together, our data suggested that curcumin exhibited its interventional effect on lung CSCs via inhibition of Wnt/β‐catenin and Sonic Hedgehog pathways. These novel findings could provide new insights into the potential therapeutic application of curcumin in lung CSC elimination and cancer intervention. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Nicotine and Nicotine Abstinence Do Not Interfere with GABAA Receptor Neuroadaptations During Alcohol Abstinence.

BACKGROUND Alcohol dependence and tobacco smoking are highly comorbid, and treating both conditions simultaneously is controversial. Previously, we showed that tobacco smoking interferes with GABAA receptor neuroadaptations during alcohol withdrawal in humans, while this effect did not occur with continued nicotine use during alcohol abstinence in nonhuman primates. Here, we extend our previous work by measuring GABAA receptor availability with positron emission tomography (PET) during drug abstinence in nonhuman primates exposed to alcohol alone, nicotine and alcohol together, and alcohol abstinence with continued nicotine exposure. METHODS Twenty-four adolescent male rhesus macaques orally self-administered alcohol and nicotine, available separately in water and saccharin, over 20 weeks. The groups included alcohol alone (n = 8); nicotine and alcohol with simultaneous abstinence (n = 8); nicotine and alcohol with alcohol abstinence while nicotine was still available (n = 8); and a pilot group of animals consuming nicotine alone (n = 6). Animals were imaged with [(11)C]flumazenil PET to measure binding potential (BPND), an index of GABAA receptor availability. Imaging occurred at baseline (drug-naíve), and following alcohol and/or nicotine cessation at 1 day, 8 days, and 12 weeks of abstinence. Generalized linear mixed models were used to examine the time course of [(11)C]flumazenil BPND during alcohol abstinence across groups. RESULTS Animals consumed 3.95 ± 1.22 g/kg/d alcohol and 55.4 ± 35.1 mg/kg/d nicotine. No significant group effects were observed in [(11)C]flumazenil BPND during alcohol abstinence; however, a main effect of time was detected. Post hoc analyses indicated that all groups abstaining from alcohol exhibited significantly increased GABAA receptor availability at 1 day and 8 days (but not 12 weeks) of abstinence relative to baseline, while no changes in [(11)C]flumazenil BPND during nicotine abstinence alone were observed. CONCLUSIONS These data indicate that neither nicotine nor nicotine abstinence interferes with GABAA receptor neuroadaptations during alcohol withdrawal. This conclusion is consistent with our previous study and does not contradict the use of nicotine replacement therapies or non-nicotinic-acting pharmaceuticals to quit smoking during alcohol withdrawal from a GABAergic perspective.
Structural metrics for decision points within multiple-domain matrices representing design processes

When reengineering or improving an engineering process, it is important to systematically examine the process for possible weak spots. Complexity metrics, which describe how ¿complex¿ a possible part of a process is, are a means of doing so. Using them, every single element of a process (e.g. activities, resources,.) or groups of elements can be reviewed, and those exhibiting distinctive features can be further considered for improvement. Such metrics are especially of interest if no quantitative data is available but only the qualitative process architecture is at hand, e.g. as a process chart. In this paper, different metrics from software and workflow engineering (McCabe Complexity, Control-flow Complexity, Activity / Passivity) are used on a qualitative model of a process incorporating decision points. The process model is based on a Multiple-Domain Matrix extended to comprise Boolean operators that are typical for process models (i.e. AND, OR, and XOR).
Results From Four Rounds of Ovarian Cancer Screening in a Randomized Trial

OBJECTIVE: To test whether annual screening with transvaginal ultrasonography and CA 125 reduces ovarian cancer mortality. METHODS: Data from the first four annual screens, denoted T0–T3, are reported. A CA 125 value at or above 35 units/mL or an abnormality on transvaginal ultrasonography was considered a positive screen. Diagnostic follow-up of positive screens was performed at the discretion of participants’ physicians. Diagnostic procedures and cancers were tracked and verified through medical records. RESULTS: Among 34,261 screening arm women without prior oophorectomy, compliance with screening ranged from 83.1% (T0) to 77.6% (T3). Screen positivity rates declined slightly with transvaginal ultrasonography, from 4.6 at T0 to 2.9–3.4 at T1–T3; CA 125 positivity rates (range 1.4–1.8%) showed no time trend. Eighty-nine invasive ovarian or peritoneal cancers were diagnosed; 60 were screen detected. The positive predictive value (PPV) and cancer yield per 10,000 women screened on the combination of tests were similar across screening rounds (range 1.0–1.3% for PPV and 4.7–6.2 for yield); however, the biopsy (surgery) rate among screen positives decreased from 34% at T0 to 15–20% at T1–T3. The overall ratio of surgeries to screen-detected cancers was 19.5:1. Seventy-two percent of screen-detected cases were late stage (III/IV). CONCLUSION: Through four screening rounds, the ratio of surgeries to screen-detected cancers was high, and most cases were late stage. However, the effect of screening on mortality is as yet unknown. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, www.clinicaltrials. gov, NCT00002540 LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: II
Screening Mammography Use among Current, Former, and Never Hormone Therapy Users May Not Explain Recent Declines in Breast Cancer Incidence

Background: Screening mammography and invasive breast cancer and ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) rates recently declined in the United States; screening mammography declines among former hormone therapy (HT) users may be an important contributor. We longitudinally examined women and compared mammography use and cancer rates by HT use [current, former, and never users of estrogen + progestin (EPT) and estrogen only (ET)]. Methods: We studied 163,490 unique women aged 50–79 years enrolled in Group Health (Washington State) between 1994–2009. Electronic data identified HT dispensing, mammography use and incident breast cancer diagnosis. We calculated age-adjusted screening compliance as a time-varying variable (screened-within-the-past-26 months, yes/no). Results: Before 2002, screening compliance differed significantly by HT with current EPT users having the highest rates (83%) followed by former EPT (77%), current ET (77%), former ET (72%), and never users (56%). After 2002, screening was high (∼81%) among current and former EPT and ET users and significantly increased among never users (∼62%). Invasive breast cancer rates significantly decreased over the whole study period (Ptrend ≤ 0.05) for all HT users, except EPT current users (Ptrend = 0.68); DCIS rates did not change in any group. Conclusions: Differential screening mammography rates by HT use do not explain invasive breast cancer incidence declines. Our data suggest discontinuing HT has an immediate effect on breast cancer rates, lending support to the mechanism that cessation leads to tumor regression. Impact: Studies examining the influence of a changing exposure in relation to outcomes should account for varying exposures, individuals' characteristics, as well as screening methods and frequency. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 21(5); 720–7. ©2012 AACR.
Dynamic fatigue properties of the dental implant-abutment interface: joint opening in wide-diameter versus standard-diameter hex-type implants.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM The clinical long-term success of single-tooth implant restorations depends, in part, on a stable connection between the prosthetic restoration and the implant body. PURPOSE The purpose of this experiment was to investigate the fatigue life of UCLA-style abutment screws in wide-diameter versus conventionally sized dental implant restorations. MATERIAL AND METHODS Five 3.75 x 15-mm and five 6.0 x 15-mm hexed dental implants were used. Ten frameworks were fabricated, 5 with a single UCLA-style, 3.75-mm hexed gold alloy cylinder, and 5 with a single UCLA-style, 6.0-mm hexed gold alloy cylinder. To simulate a common laboratory procedure, 2 abutment interfaces were relieved with a one-quarter round bur for both diameters. The 3.75-mm implant used a Gold-Tite central abutment screw torqued to 32 Ncm, and the 6.0-mm implant used a titanium central abutment screw torqued to 25 Ncm. Frameworks were dynamically loaded ( approximately 10 Hz) with a 120 +/- 10-N, 4-mm off-axis force. Liquid metal strain gauges were used to measure joint opening. Measurements were made at intervals of 10(3), 10(4), 10(5), and 5x10(5) cycles. Gauge output data were converted to displacement with a conversion factor determined by calibration. Linear regression analysis then was performed. RESULTS Two observations were made in this study. Two of three 3.75-mm nonadjusted specimens and all three 6.0-mm nonadjusted specimens maintained joint closure (range of opening 0-20 microm) while measured under dynamic loading. The median joint opening at 5x10(5) cycles for 3.75-mm nonadjusted specimens was 14 +/- 7 microm; for 6.0-mm specimens, it was 11 +/- 10 microm. Both 3.75-mm adjusted specimens and 1 nonadjusted specimen failed to maintain joint closure (excess joint opening >50 microm). One of the 3.75-mm adjusted specimens had abutment screw fracture. One of two 6.0-mm adjusted specimens failed to maintain joint closure because of screw fracture. CONCLUSION The dental implant-abutment interface of 3.75-mm and 6.0-mm externally hexed implants experienced similar joint opening after periods of dynamic loading. Laboratory adjustment of the interface significantly decreased the service life of the abutment screw joint.
Forest Biomass Mapping of Northeastern China Using GLAS and MODIS Data

In this study, several major issues associated with forest biomass mapping have been investigated using an integrated dataset, and a preliminary forest biomass map of northeastern China is presented. Three biomass regression models, stepwise regression (SR), partial least-squares regression (PLSR), and support vector regression (SVR), were developed based on field biomass data, Geoscience Laser Altimeter System (GLAS) data, and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data. The biomass estimates using the SVR model were the most reasonable. The accuracy of the biomass predictions was improved through a combination of bootstrapping and the SVR method. The rich temporal information in MODIS data and the multiple-angle information in Multi-angle Imaging Spectro Radiometer (MISR) data were also explored for forest biomass mapping. Results indicated that a MODIS time series data alone, without MISR data, was capable of mapping forest biomass. A forest biomass map was generated using the optimal biomass regression model and the MODIS time series data. Finally, an uncertainty analysis of the biomass map was carried out and a comparison with published results using other methods was made.
Rigorous, Auxiliary Variable-Based Implementation of a Second-Order ABC for the Vector FEM

The finite element method (FEM) is commonly used for electromagnetic radiation and scattering analysis. When an infinite, free space exterior domain needs to be incorporated into the method, a radiation boundary condition must be enforced. An approach which has received considerable attention, is to employ approximate conditions, known as absorbing boundary conditions (ABCs), that preserve the sparsity of the original FEM system upon discretization. In the case of time-harmonic analysis based on the vector wave equation in three dimensions, the symmetric, spherical Bayliss-Turkel-type ABCs of first- and second-orders are well-established. The second-order version is expected to be more accurate, however when using the standard curl-conforming approach to FEM discretization, an implementation difficulty is encountered, relating to successive derivatives being required of the nonconforming field components. This issue is addressed here by introducing a scheme where the nonconforming first-order derivatives are projected onto a suitably conforming auxiliary field, of which another derivative can then be taken instead. Additional computational costs are minimal and the scheme retains the symmetry of the standard formulation. Numerical results demonstrate the superior performance of the rigorously implemented second-order ABC over its first-order counterpart
Electrical stimulation enhances sensory recovery: A randomized controlled trial

Brief postsurgical electrical stimulation (ES) has been shown to enhance peripheral nerve regeneration in animal models following axotomy and crush injury. However, whether this treatment is beneficial in humans with sensory nerve injury has not been tested. The goal of this study was to test the hypothesis that ES would enhance sensory nerve regeneration following digital nerve transection compared to surgery alone.
Sex-Linked Genetic Influence on Caste Determination in a Termite

The most ecologically successful and destructive termite species are those with both a nymph caste and an irreversibly wingless worker caste. The early developmental bifurcation separating these castes is widely accepted to be strictly environmentally determined. We present evidence that genotype also influences this process. Offspring from four different crosses of nymph- and worker-derived secondary reproductive individuals had strongly differentiated caste and sex ratios, despite uniform rearing conditions. These data fit an X-linked, one-locus-two-allele model. Of five possible genotypes, one was lethal, two resulted in workers, and two resulted in either nymphs or environmentally determined workers. Caste is thus controlled both by environment and by a complex genetic inheritance pattern.
Infection due to fluconazole-resistant Candida in patients with AIDS: prevalence and microbiology.

A cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the prevalence and microbiology of oral infection due to fluconazole-resistant Candida in patients with AIDS. Oral swab specimens for fungal cultures were obtained from 100 consecutive outpatients with CD4 lymphocyte counts of < 200/mm3. At least one fungal organism demonstrating in vitro resistance to fluconazole (minimum inhibitory concentration, > or = 8 micrograms/mL) was isolated from 26 (41%) of 64 patients for whom cultures were positive. When fluconazole-resistant C. albicans was isolated, in vitro resistance correlated with clinical thrush. None of 10 patients from whom only non-albicans species of Candida were isolated had active thrush. The patients from whom fluconazole-resistant Candida albicans was isolated had lower CD4 cell counts (median, 9/mm3), a greater number of treated episodes of thrush (median, 4.5), and a greater median duration of prior fluconazole treatment (231 days) than did patients from whom fluconazole-susceptible C. albicans was isolated (median CD4 cell count, 58/mm3 [P = .004]; median number of treated episodes of thrush, 2.0 [P = .001]; and median duration of prior fluconazole treatment, 10 days [P = .01]; respectively). In a multivariate analysis, the number of episodes and duration of fluconazole therapy were independent predictors of resistance.
Several co-design issues using DfX for solid state lighting

The heteroepitaxial growth of GaN-based epitaxial layers on sapphire and SiC substrates increases process complexity during light-emitting diodes (LEDs) manufacturing process. The large lattice mismatch and coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) mismatch between substrate materials and GaN materials, resulting in wafer curvature issue which can impact wavelength and intensity uniformity. Obtaining tighter control over the wavelength and intensity uniformity of the active MQW region will be critical. With the increasing size of wafers from 2in, 4in, 6in, to even 8in, the curvature and co-planarity will be an even challenging issue. Curren MOCVD is from from being perfect in terms of wafer to wafer, run to run variations, which could be resulted from temperature and flow control of the reactor, heater, and gases. Additionally, the manufacturing process parameters of LED chip has significant effect on the LED device performance. One of the challenges for the application of wafer-level packaging in LED is the poor wavelength uniformity and reproducibility in the LED wafer. Several co-design issues for LEDs manufacturing using DfX is given in this paper.
Cardiac Function and Diastolic Dysfunction in Behcet's Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background. Cardiovascular involvement in Behcet's disease (BD) is reported and has variable manifestations. It is not clear if diastolic dysfunction (DD) is increased in BD. Our objective was to evaluate the existing literature to determine if cardiac dysfunction, particularly DD, was more prevalent in these patients. Methods. A systematic review and meta-analysis of the available studies analyzing the echocardiographic findings in BD was conducted using a random-effects model. Mean differences were used to calculate the effect sizes of the echocardiographic parameters of interest. Results. A total of 22 studies with 1624 subjects were included in the analysis. Patients with BD had statistically significantly larger mean left atrial dimension (0.08, p = 0.0008), greater aortic diameter (0.16, p = 0.02), significantly reduced ejection fraction (−1.08, p < 0.0001), significantly prolonged mitral deceleration time (14.20, p < 0.0001), lower E/A ratio (−0.24, p = 0.05), and increased isovolumetric relaxation time (7.29, p < 0.00001). Conclusion. DD is increased in patients with BD by the presence of several echocardiographic parameters favoring DD as compared to controls. The meta-analysis also identified that LA dimension is increased in BD patients. EF has also been found to be lower in BD patients. Aortic diameter was also increased in BD patients as compared to controls.