Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Osteogenic Potential of Bovine Bone Graft in Combination with Laser Photobiomodulation: An Ex Vivo Demonstrative Study in Wistar Rats by Cross-Linked Studies Based on Synchrotron Microtomography and Histology

Background: Alveolar bone defects are usually the main concern when planning implant treatments for the appropriate oral rehabilitation of patients. To improve local conditions and achieve implant treatments, there are several methods used for increasing bone volume, among which one of the most successful, versatile, and effective is considered to be guided bone regeneration. The aim of this demonstrative study was to propose an innovative analysis protocol for the evaluation of the effect of photobiomodulation on the bone regeneration process, using rat calvarial defects of 5 mm in diameter, filled with xenograft, covered with collagen membrane, and then exposed to laser radiation. Methods: The animals were sacrificed at different points in time (i.e., after 14, 21, and 30 days). Samples of identical dimensions were harvested in order to compare the results obtained after different periods of healing. The analysis was performed by cross-linking the information obtained using histology and high-resolution synchrotron-based tomography on the same samples. A comparison was made with both the negative control (NC) group (with a bone defect which was left for spontaneous healing), and the positive control (PC) group (in which the bone defects were filled with xenografts and collagen membrane without receiving laser treatment). Results: We demonstrated that using photobiomodulation provides a better healing effect than when receiving only the support of the biomaterial. This effect has been evident for short times treatments, i.e., during the first 14 days after surgery. Conclusion: The proposed analysis protocol was effective in detecting the presence of higher quantities of bone volumes under remodeling after photobiomodulation with respect to the exclusive bone regeneration guided by the xenograft.
Metabolomic Insights into Marine Phytoplankton Diversity

The democratization of sequencing technologies fostered a leap in our knowledge of the diversity of marine phytoplanktonic microalgae, revealing many previously unknown species and lineages. The evolutionary history of the diversification of microalgae can be inferred from the analysis of their genome sequences. However, the link between the DNA sequence and the associated phenotype is notoriously difficult to assess, all the more so for marine phytoplanktonic microalgae for which the lab culture and, thus, biological experimentation is very tedious. Here, we explore the potential of a high-throughput untargeted metabolomic approach to explore the phenotypic–genotypic gap in 12 marine microalgae encompassing 1.2 billion years of evolution. We identified species- and lineage-specific metabolites. We also provide evidence of a very good correlation between the molecular divergence, inferred from the DNA sequences, and the metabolomic divergence, inferred from the complete metabolomic profiles. These results provide novel insights into the potential of chemotaxonomy in marine phytoplankton and support the hypothesis of a metabolomic clock, suggesting that DNA and metabolomic profiles co-evolve.
Role of d-serine in the beneficial effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation in post-stroke patients

Abstract Objective: Abnormalities in neurotransmission via N-methyl-d-aspartic acid receptor (NMDAR) play a role in the pathophysiology of neuropsychiatric disorders. The impact of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on NMDAR-related amino acids remains unknown. We aim to investigate the effects of rTMS on NMDAR-related amino acids in serum of post-stroke patients. Methods: Ninety-five consecutive post-stroke patients with upper limb hemiparesis were recruited. In 27 patients, the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) score was 10 or higher. Twelve depressed patients underwent rehabilitation in combination with rTMS and 15 non-depressed patients underwent rehabilitation only without rTMS for 14 days. 1 Hz rTMS was applied to the primary motor area in the non-lesional hemisphere. BDI was conducted before and after treatment. Serum glutamine, glutamate, glycine, l-serine, and d-serine levels were measured before and after treatment. Results: There were no differences between depressed patients and non-depressed patients in clinical characteristics, levels of the five amino acids in serum, and the ratio of amino acids. However, in 27 depressed patients, there was a significant correlation between levels of glutamate in serum and BDI (ρ = 0.428, p = 0.026). BDI decreased significantly in depressed patients after treatment with or without rTMS. d-serine decreased in the rehabilitation with rTMS group, but increased in the rehabilitation without rTMS group. l-serine increased in the rehabilitation with rTMS group, but decreased in the rehabilitation without rTMS group. Conclusion: The results suggest that rTMS can modulate NMDAR-related amino acids in blood, producing beneficial effects.
Combination therapies currently under investigation in phase I and phase II clinical trials for HIV-1

ABSTRACT Introduction HIV infection is manageable through the use of antiretroviral drugs. However, HIV reservoirs that are constituted early during infection are resistant to treatment. HIV persistence under treatment necessitates life-long treatment and is associated with various co-morbidities. Two significant research avenues are explored through the development of either new antiretroviral drugs or interventions aimed at stimulating the immune system to eradicate HIV reservoirs. Areas covered This report provides a review of investigational drugs and cell-based interventions against HIV infection that are currently under Phase I or Phase II clinical trials. We report on new antiretroviral drugs, antibodies directed against viral or host targets, reactivating agents, immune modulators and immune checkpoint inhibitors, and cell-based interventions. These new therapies are often tested in combination, including with current antiretroviral drugs. Expert opinion Islatravir and GS-6207 are promising antiretroviral drugs that are expected to perform well in phase III trials. Whether the host immune system can be activated sufficiently to reduce HIV reservoirs remains unknown. Additional research is needed to identify surrogate markers of success for curative interventions. Given the current safety and efficacy of antiretroviral treatment, risk-benefits should be carefully evaluated before interventions that risk triggering high levels of immune stimulation.
The Rehapiano—Detecting, Measuring, and Analyzing Action Tremor Using Strain Gauges

We have developed a device, the Rehapiano, for the fast and quantitative assessment of action tremor. It uses strain gauges to measure force exerted by individual fingers. This article verifies the device’s capability to measure and monitor the development of upper limb tremor. The Rehapiano uses a precision, 24-bit, analog-to-digital converter and an Arduino microcomputer to transfer raw data via a USB interface to a computer for processing, database storage, and evaluation. First, our experiments validated the device by measuring simulated tremors with known frequencies. Second, we created a measurement protocol, which we used to measure and compare healthy patients and patients with Parkinson’s disease. Finally, we evaluated the repeatability of a quantitative assessment. We verified our hypothesis that the Rehapiano is able to detect force changes, and our experimental results confirmed that our system is capable of measuring action tremor. The Rehapiano is also sensitive enough to enable the quantification of Parkinsonian tremors.
Relationships between psychosocial factors during pregnancy and preterm birth in Puerto Rico

Psychosocial stress during pregnancy has been associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes including preterm birth (PTB). This has not been studied in Puerto Rico, an area with high PTB rates. Our objective was to develop a conceptual model describing the interrelationships between measures of psychosocial stress and depression, a result of stress, among pregnant women in Puerto Rico and to examine their associations with PTB. We used data from the Puerto Rico Testsite for Exploring Contamination Threats pregnancy cohort (PROTECT, N = 1,047) to examine associations among depression and different continuous measures of psychosocial stress using path analysis. Psychosocial stress during pregnancy was assessed using validated measures of perceived stress, negative life experiences, neighborhood perceptions and social support. Logistic regression was used to examine associations between psychosocial stress measures in tertiles and PTB. Perceived stress, negative life experiences, and neighborhood perceptions influenced depression through multiple pathways. Our model indicated that perceived stress had the strongest direct effect on depression, where one standard deviation (SD) increase in perceived stress was associated with a 57% SD increase in depression. Negative life experiences were directly but also indirectly, through perceived stress, associated with depression. Finally, neighborhood perceptions directly influenced negative life experiences and perceived stress and consequently had an indirect effect on depression. Psychosocial stress was not associated with PTB across any of the measures examined. Our study examined interrelationships between multiple measures of psychosocial stress and depression among a pregnant Puerto Rican population and identified negative neighborhood perceptions as important upstream factors leading to depression. Our findings highlight the complex relationship between psychosocial stress measures and indicate that psychosocial stress and depression, assessed using 5 different scales, were not associated with PTB. Future research should investigate other environmental and behavioral risk factors contributing to higher rates of PTB in this population.
Pooled cohort risk equation and subclinical cerebrovascular diseases

In 2013, the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) introduced a novel pooled cohort risk (PCR) model for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. In this study, we evaluated the relationship between the PCR score and cerebral large‐ and small‐vessel diseases (cLVD and cSVD) in a healthy population,
The generalizability of Older Adult Self‐Report (OASR) syndromes of psychopathology across 20 societies

As the world population ages, psychiatrists will increasingly need instruments for measuring constructs of psychopathology that are generalizable to diverse elders. The study tested whether syndromes of co‐occurring problems derived from self‐ratings of psychopathology by US elders would fit self‐ratings by elders in 19 other societies.
Prevalence, incidence and outcomes of diabetes in Ontario First Nations children: a longitudinal population-based cohort study.

BACKGROUND First Nations people are known to have a higher risk of childhood-onset type 2 diabetes, yet population-level data about diabetes in First Nations children are unavailable. In a partnership between Chiefs of Ontario and academic researchers, we describe the epidemiologic features and outcomes of diabetes in First Nations children in Ontario. METHODS We created annual cohorts from 1995/96 to 2014/15 using data from the Registered Persons Database linked with the federal Indian Register. We used the Ontario Diabetes Database to identify children with all types of diabetes and calculated the prevalence and incidence for First Nations children and other children in Ontario. We describe glycemic control in First Nations children and other children in 2014. RESULTS In 2014/15, there were 254 First Nations children and 10 144 other children with diagnosed diabetes in Ontario. From 1995/96 to 2014/15, the prevalence increased from 0.17 to 0.57 per 100 children, and the annual incidence increased from 37 to 94 per 100 000 per year among First Nations children. In 2014/15, the prevalence of diabetes was 0.62/100 among First Nations girls and 0.36/100 among other girls. The mean glycosylated hemoglobin level among First Nations children was 9.1% (standard deviation 2.7%) and for other children, 8.5% (standard deviation 2.1%). INTERPRETATION First Nations children have substantially higher rates of diabetes than non-Aboriginal children in Ontario; this is likely driven by an increased incidence of type 2 diabetes and increased risk for diabetes among First Nations girls. There is an urgent need for strategies to address modifiable factors associated with the risk of diabetes, improve access to culturally sensitive diabetes care and improve outcomes for First Nations children.
Upregulation of AMPA receptor GluA1 phosphorylation by blocking adenosine A1 receptors in the male rat forebrain

The adenosine A1 receptor is a Gαi/o protein‐coupled receptor and inhibits upon activation cAMP formation and protein kinase A (PKA) activity. As a widely expressed receptor in the mammalian brain, A1 receptors are implicated in the modulation of a variety of neuronal and synaptic activities. In this study, we investigated the role of A1 receptors in the regulation of α‐amino‐3‐hydroxy‐5‐methyl‐4‐isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptors in the adult rat brain in vivo.
Optimal assessment of protective behavioral strategies among college drinkers: An item response theory analysis.

College student alcohol use and related consequences continue to warrant significant concern. Extant research demonstrates protective behavioral strategies (PBS; self-regulatory strategies that can be employed before, during, or after drinking to prevent intoxication or negative consequences) have promise for preventative interventions. Variations in conceptualization and measurement of the construct limit generalization of PBS research. To advance generalization of PBS research, there is a need for a brief, comprehensive, content valid, PBS measure that demonstrates equivalence in measurement across demographically diverse college students. The present study aimed to develop a psychometrically robust measure of PBS using item response theory (IRT) to address measurement and methodological issues including identifying optimal response anchors and items that represent the full range of the PBS construct for use with college men and women from different racial backgrounds. Participants were 503 college students enrolled in a midsized university in the Southern United States. IRT and differential item functioning (DIF) analyses of 68 PBS items extracted from 6 existing PBS measures resulted in a 20-item instrument, the Protective Drinking Practices Scale, with items that functioned equivalently for White and Black/African American college men and women. The measure also demonstrated good internal and external validity. Widespread use of this measure will help enhance the comparability of findings in PBS research, allowing for more targeted and impactful research on PBS as a mechanism of change. Suggestions for future research are provided. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).
Prescribing Patterns of Psychotropic Drugs and Risk of Violent Behavior: A Prospective, Multicenter Study in Italy

Abstract Background This prospective cohort study aimed at evaluating patterns of polypharmacy and aggressive and violent behavior during a 1-year follow-up in patients with severe mental disorders. Methods A total of 340 patients (125 inpatients from residential facilities and 215 outpatients) were evaluated at baseline with the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I and II, Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale, Specific Levels of Functioning scale, Brown-Goodwin Lifetime History of Aggression, Buss-Durkee Hostility Inventory, Barratt Impulsiveness Scale, and State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory-2. Aggressive behavior was rated every 15 days with the Modified Overt Aggression Scale and treatment compliance with the Medication Adherence Rating Scale. Results The whole sample was prescribed mainly antipsychotics with high levels of polypharmacy. Clozapine prescription and higher compliance were associated with lower levels of aggressive and violent behavior. Patients with a history of violence who took clozapine were prescribed the highest number of drugs. The patterns of cumulative Modified Overt Aggression Scale mean scores of patients taking clozapine (n = 46), other antipsychotics (n = 257), and no antipsychotics (n = 37) were significantly different (P = .001). Patients taking clozapine showed a time trend at 1-year follow-up (24 evaluations) indicating a significantly lower level of aggressive behavior. Patient higher compliance was also associated with lower Modified Overt Aggression Scale ratings during the 1-year follow-up. Conclusion Both inpatients and outpatients showed high levels of polypharmacy. Clozapine prescription was associated with lower Modified Overt Aggression Scale ratings compared with any other antipsychotics or other psychotropic drugs. Higher compliance was associated with lower levels of aggressive and violent behavior.
Normalization of mediotemporal and prefrontal activity, and mediotemporal-striatal connectivity, may underlie antipsychotic effects of cannabidiol in psychosis

Abstract Background Recent evidence suggests that cannabidiol (CBD), a non-intoxicating ingredient present in cannabis extract, has an antipsychotic effect in people with established psychosis. However, the effect of CBD on the neurocognitive mechanisms underlying psychosis is unknown. Methods Patients with established psychosis on standard antipsychotic treatment were studied on separate days at least one week apart, to investigate the effects of a single dose of orally administered CBD (600 mg) compared to a matched placebo (PLB), using a double-blind, randomized, PLB-controlled, repeated-measures, within-subject cross-over design. Three hours after taking the study drug participants were scanned using a block design functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) paradigm, while performing a verbal paired associate learning task. Fifteen psychosis patients completed both study days, 13 completed both scanning sessions. Nineteen healthy controls (HC) were also scanned using the same fMRI paradigm under identical conditions, but without any drug administration. Effects of CBD on brain activation measured using the blood oxygen level-dependent hemodynamic response fMRI signal were studied in the mediotemporal, prefrontal, and striatal regions of interest. Results Compared to HC, psychosis patients under PLB had altered prefrontal activation during verbal encoding, as well as altered mediotemporal and prefrontal activation and greater mediotemporal-striatal functional connectivity during verbal recall. CBD attenuated dysfunction in these regions such that activation under its influence was intermediate between the PLB condition and HC. CBD also attenuated hippocampal-striatal functional connectivity and caused trend-level symptom reduction in psychosis patients. Conclusions This suggests that normalization of mediotemporal and prefrontal dysfunction and mediotemporal-striatal functional connectivity may underlie the antipsychotic effects of CBD.
Fake news and patient-family-physician interaction in critical care: concepts, beliefs and potential countermeasures

Fake news has been defined as fabricated information mimicking media content in form but not in organizational process or intent. Science and medicine are deeply affected by this increasing phenomenon. Critical care represents a hot spot for fake news due to the high risk of conflictive communication, the rapid turnaround of clinical news and high prevalence of unpleasant information. Communication with patients’ relatives is one of the hardest aspects. The relationship between physicians and families is pivotal to improve relatives’ comfort, and reduce anxiety and pain. Fake news may undermine this relationship, posing an alternative truth between the critical care physician and relatives, which must be countered without worsening their suffering. The aim of this review is to provide intensivists an overview of concepts, characteristics and risk to better understand the fake news phenomenon and counter its potentially devastating effects.
Iterative Label Denoising Network: Segmenting Male Pelvic Organs in CT From 3D Bounding Box Annotations

Obtaining accurate segmentation of the prostate and nearby organs at risk (e.g., bladder and rectum) in CT images is critical for radiotherapy of prostate cancer. Currently, the leading automatic segmentation algorithms are based on Fully Convolutional Networks (FCNs), which achieve remarkable performance but usually need large-scale datasets with high-quality voxel-wise annotations for full supervision of the training. Unfortunately, such annotations are difficult to acquire, which becomes a bottleneck to build accurate segmentation models in real clinical applications. In this paper, we propose a novel weakly supervised segmentation approach that only needs 3D bounding box annotations covering the organs of interest to start the training. Obviously, the bounding box includes many non-organ voxels that carry noisy labels to mislead the segmentation model. To this end, we propose the label denoising module and embed it into the iterative training scheme of the label denoising network (LDnet) for segmentation. The labels of the training voxels are predicted by the tentative LDnet, while the label denoising module identifies the voxels with unreliable labels. As only the good training voxels are preserved, the iteratively re-trained LDnet can refine its segmentation capability gradually. Our results are remarkable, i.e., reaching <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\sim$</tex-math></inline-formula>94% (prostate), <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\sim$</tex-math></inline-formula>91% (bladder), and <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\sim$</tex-math></inline-formula>86% (rectum) of the Dice Similarity Coefficients (DSCs), compared to the case of fully supervised learning upon high-quality voxel-wise annotations and also superior to several state-of-the-art approaches. To our best knowledge, this is the first work to achieve voxel-wise segmentation in CT images from simple 3D bounding box annotations, which can greatly reduce many labeling efforts and meet the demands of the practical clinical applications.
FDIPP: False Data Injection Prevention Protocol for Smart Grid Distribution Systems †

In this paper, a false data injection prevention protocol (FDIPP) for smart grid distribution systems is proposed. The protocol is designed to work over a novel hierarchical communication network architecture that matches the distribution system hierarchy and its vast number of entities. The proposed protocol guarantees both system and data integrity via preventing packet injection, duplication, alteration, and rogue node access. Therefore, it prevents service disruption or damaging power network assets due to drawing the wrong conclusions about the current operating status of the power grid. Moreover, the impact of the FDIPP protocol on communication network performance is studied using intensive computer simulations. The simulation study shows that the proposed communication architecture is scalable and meets the packet delay requirements of inter-substation communication as mandated by IEC 61850-90-1 with a minimal packet loss while the security overhead of FDIPP is taken into account.