Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Breast Lipofilling Does Not Pose Evidence of Chronic Inflammation in Rats.

BACKGROUND Laboratory reports on adipose tissue suggest that fat grafting to the breast may pose an oncologic risk. One possible reason for this is the theoretic chronic inflammation due to adipokynes released by grafted white adipose tissue (WAT). OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to analyze inflammatory activity in lipofilled breast through the use of proinflammatory markers. METHODS Fifty-four paired-breasts of female rats were divided into 4 groups: control, sham, and breasts grafted with either autologous subcutaneous (SC) WAT or autologous omentum (OM). The WAT was prepared through centrifugation, and the grafting was performed with the use of 0.9-mm blunt-tip cannula. The rats were killed 8 weeks postoperatively, and their breasts were harvested for immunohistochemical staining for CD68-expressing macrophages, gene expression (real-time PCR) for monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1), F4/80, Cox-2, and IL-6. RESULTS The weights of the rats that underwent a procedure differed from those of the unmanipulated control group (P < 0.01). The macrophage counts of CD68 differed only between breasts lipofilled with OM and control (P < 0.01). MCP-1, F4/80, and Cox-2 were similarly expressed among the groups (P = 0.422, P = 0.143, and P = 0.209, respectively). The expression of IL-6 differed between breast samples grafted with SC and OM WAT (P = 0.015), but not between samples of control and OM (P = 0.752), and control and SC (P = 0.056). CONCLUSIONS No inflammation activity was identified in the microenvironment of lipofilled breasts, indicating that chronic inflammation does not seem to be triggered by the breast lipofilling procedure.
Effects of Laser Photobiomodulation and Ozone Therapy on Palatal Epithelial Wound Healing and Patient Morbidity.

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to compare the effects of laser photobiomodulation (PBM) and topical ozone therapy on the reepithelialization of palatal donor site wounds through clinical assessment and computer-aided image analysis and to assess the patient morbidity following free gingival graft (FGG) surgeries. MATERIAL AND METHODS Thirty-six patients requiring FGG were randomly allocated into three groups: laser group (n = 12), ozone group (n = 12), and control group (n = 12). Epithelialization was evaluated by applying 3% hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) to the wound area and also measured by using digital image analysis (ImageJ). Bland-Altman plots were used for assessing agreement between H2O2 and ImageJ measurements. Parameters in relation to patient morbidity were assessed by using visual analog scale (VAS) on the first 3, 7, 14, and 30 days postoperatively. RESULTS At day 14, statistically significant smaller wounds were observed with digital image analysis in the ozone group as compared with the control group (p = 0.034). However, intergroup comparison of the remaining wound area evaluated by the clinician using the H2O2 method did not reveal any significant differences (p > 0.05). Nonetheless, according to Bland-Altman analysis, the lower and upper limits showed a moderate agreement between the two measurement methods. The mean VAS sores exhibiting postoperative discomfort was observed to be significantly higher in the control group compared with the laser group (p = 0.002) and ozone group (p < 0.001) at day 7. CONCLUSIONS Adjunctive ozone therapy could have a significantly beneficial effect on the acceleration of palatal wound healing following FGG procedures. Both PBM and ozone treatment modalities reduced postoperative discomfort as compared with spontaneous healing.
Lumbar Spine Bone Mineral Apparent Density in Children: Results From the Bone Mineral Density in Childhood Study

CONTEXT Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is a cornerstone of pediatric bone health assessment, yet differences in height-for-age confound the interpretation of areal bone mineral density (aBMD) measures. To reduce the confounding of short stature on spine bone density, use of bone mineral apparent density (BMAD) and height-for-age Z-score (HAZ)‒adjusted aBMD (aBMDHAZ) are recommended. However, spine BMAD reference data are sparse, and the degree to which BMAD and aBMDHAZ account for height-related artifacts in bone density remains unclear. OBJECTIVE We developed age-, sex-, and population ancestry‒specific spine BMAD reference ranges; compared height-adjustment methods in accounting for shorter stature; and assessed the stability of these measures over time. DESIGN Secondary analysis of data from a previous longitudinal study. PARTICIPANTS Children and adolescents aged 5 to 19 years at baseline (n = 2014; 922 males; 22% black) from the Bone Mineral Density in Childhood Study. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Lumbar spine BMAD and aBMDHAZ from DXA. RESULTS Spine BMAD increased nonlinearly with age and was greater in blacks and females (all P < 0.001). Age-specific spine BMAD z-score reference curves were constructed for black and non‒black males and females. Overall, both BMAD and aBMDHAZz scores reduced the confounding influence of shorter stature, but neither was consistently unbiased across all age ranges. Both BMAD and aBMDHAZz scores tracked strongly over 6 years (r = 0.70 to 0.80; all P < 0.001). CONCLUSION This study provided robust spine BMAD reference ranges and demonstrated that BMAD and aBMDHAZ partially reduced the confounding influence of shorter stature on bone density.
Integrated 3D Hydrogel Waveguide Out-Coupler by Step-and-Repeat Thermal Nanoimprint Lithography: A Promising Sensor Device for Water and pH

Hydrogel materials offer many advantages for chemical and biological sensoring due to their response to a small change in their environment with a related change in volume. Several designs have been outlined in the literature in the specific field of hydrogel-based optical sensors, reporting a large number of steps for their fabrication. In this work we present a three-dimensional, hydrogel-based sensor the structure of which is fabricated in a single step using thermal nanoimprint lithography. The sensor is based on a waveguide with a grating readout section. A specific hydrogel formulation, based on a combination of PEGDMA (Poly(Ethylene Glycol DiMethAcrylate)), NIPAAm (N-IsoPropylAcrylAmide), and AA (Acrylic Acid), was developed. This stimulus-responsive hydrogel is sensitive to pH and to water. Moreover, the hydrogel has been modified to be suitable for fabrication by thermal nanoimprint lithography. Once stimulated, the hydrogel-based sensor changes its topography, which is characterised physically by AFM and SEM, and optically using a specific optical set-up.
Cannabinoid Delivery Systems for Pain and Inflammation Treatment

There is a growing body of evidence to suggest that cannabinoids are beneficial for a range of clinical conditions, including pain, inflammation, epilepsy, sleep disorders, the symptoms of multiple sclerosis, anorexia, schizophrenia and other conditions. The transformation of cannabinoids from herbal preparations into highly regulated prescription drugs is therefore progressing rapidly. The development of such drugs requires well-controlled clinical trials to be carried out in order to objectively establish therapeutic efficacy, dose ranges and safety. The low oral bioavailability of cannabinoids has led to feasible methods of administration, such as the transdermal route, intranasal administration and transmucosal adsorption, being proposed. The highly lipophilic nature of cannabinoids means that they are seen as suitable candidates for advanced nanosized drug delivery systems, which can be applied via a range of routes. Nanotechnology-based drug delivery strategies have flourished in several therapeutic fields in recent years and numerous drugs have reached the market. This review explores the most recent developments, from preclinical to advanced clinical trials, in the cannabinoid delivery field, and focuses particularly on pain and inflammation treatment. Likely future directions are also considered and reported.
Edge-Orientation Entropy Predicts Preference for Diverse Types of Man-Made Images

We recently found that luminance edges are more evenly distributed across orientations in large subsets of traditional artworks, i.e., artworks are characterized by a relatively high entropy of edge orientations, when compared to several categories of other (non-art) images. In the present study, we asked whether edge-orientation entropy is associated with aesthetic preference in a wide variety of other man-made visual patterns and scenes. In the first (exploratory) part of the study, participants rated the aesthetic appeal of simple shapes, artificial ornamental patterns, facades of buildings, scenes of interior architecture, and music album covers. Results indicated that edge-orientation entropy predicts aesthetic ratings for these stimuli. However, the magnitude of the effect depended on the type of images analyzed, on the range of entropy values encountered, and on the type of aesthetic rating (pleasing, interesting, or harmonious). For example, edge-orientation entropy predicted about half of the variance when participants rated facade photographs for pleasing and interesting, but only for 3.5% of the variance for harmonious ratings of music album covers. We also asked whether edge-orientation entropy relates to the well-established human preference for curved over angular shapes. Our analysis revealed that edge-orientation entropy was as good or an even better predictor for the aesthetic ratings than curvilinearity. Moreover, entropy could substitute for shape, at least in part, to predict the aesthetic ratings. In the second (experimental) part of this study, we generated complex line stimuli that systematically varied in their edge-orientation entropy and curved/angular shape. Here, edge-orientation entropy was a more powerful predictor for ratings of pleasing and harmonious than curvilinearity, and as good a predictor for interesting. Again, the two image properties shared a large portion of variance between them. In summary, our results indicate that edge-orientation entropy predicts aesthetic ratings in diverse man-made visual stimuli. Moreover, the preference for high edge-orientation entropy shares a large portion of predicted variance with the preference for curved over angular stimuli.
Smokeless tobacco taxation: Lessons from Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia accounts for nearly 86 per cent of the smokeless tobacco (SLT) consumers in the world. The heterogeneous nature of SLT is a major impediment to using taxation as a tool to regulate SLT. This study was aimed to review issues around fiscal policies on SLT with the objective of providing clarity on the use of taxation as an effective policy instrument to regulate SLT use. Descriptive statistics and graphical representations were used to analyze published data from different sources. An analysis of prices and tax between smoke and SLT products was done to understand the impact of tax policies on SLT consumption. India, Bangladesh and Myanmar together account for 71 per cent of the world SLT users. The retail prices (PPP$) and tax were lower for SLT in low- and lower-middle-income countries and higher in high-income countries, on an average, suggesting a direct relationship between the two. Evidence from India and Bangladesh suggested that taxation had significantly reduced SLT use among adults. The compounded levy scheme used in India to tax SLT was found effective after incorporating speed of packing machines into the assessment of deemed production and tax on SLT products. The current analysis shows that taxation can be an effective instrument to regulate SLT consumption if tax rates are harmonized across SLT products and in a manner not to encourage substitution with other tobacco products. It is also imperative to set a minimum floor price on all tobacco products including SLT.
Phosphorylation of TRIM28 Enhances the Expression of IFN-β and Proinflammatory Cytokines During HPAIV Infection of Human Lung Epithelial Cells

Human infection with highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses (HPAIV) is often associated with severe tissue damage due to hyperinduction of interferons and proinflammatory cytokines. The reasons for this excessive cytokine expression are still incompletely understood, which has hampered the development of efficient immunomodulatory treatment options. The host protein TRIM28 associates to the promoter regions of over 13,000 genes and is recognized as a genomic corepressor and negative immune regulator. TRIM28 corepressor activity is regulated by post-translational modifications, specifically phosphorylation of S473, which modulates binding of TRIM28 to the heterochromatin-binding protein HP1. Here, we identified TRIM28 as a key immune regulator leading to increased IFN-β and proinflammatory cytokine levels during infection with HPAIV. Using influenza A virus strains of the subtype H1N1 as well as HPAIV of subtypes H7N7, H7N9, and H5N1, we could demonstrate that strain-specific phosphorylation of TRIM28 S473 is induced by a signaling cascade constituted of PKR, p38 MAPK, and MSK1 in response to RIG-I independent sensing of viral RNA. Furthermore, using chemical inhibitors as well as knockout cell lines, our results suggest that phosphorylation of S473 facilitates a functional switch leading to increased levels of IFN-β, IL-6, and IL-8. In summary, we have identified TRIM28 as a critical factor controlling excessive expression of type I IFNs as well as proinflammatory cytokines during infection with H5N1, H7N7, and H7N9 HPAIV. In addition, our data indicate a novel mechanism of PKR-mediated IFN-β expression, which could lay the ground for novel treatment options aiming at rebalancing dysregulated immune responses during severe HPAIV infection.
Cdk6: At the interface of Rb and p53

ABSTRACT In cancer the activity of cyclin-dependent kinase 4-(CDK4) and cyclin-dependent kinase 6 (CDK6)-cyclin complexes are frequently altered with enhanced CDK6 expression found in hematopoietic malignancies. Our latest findings show a so far unknown role of Cdk6 during oncogene-induced stress and transformation. Therein Cdk6 antagonizes p53 responses and subsequently shapes the critical decision between survival and apoptosis in pre-leukemic cells.
Very late-onset amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in a Portuguese cohort

Abstract Objective: Although amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) incidence has been stable among Western countries, population-ageing effect will probably increase the proportion of very-old ALS patients. We aim to study this population. Methods: A retrospective study was performed, including 1083 ALS patients followed longitudinally in our ALS unit from January 1995 to December 2017. The patients were divided in two groups, according to age at disease onset (</≥80 years). Demographic, clinical, and survival data were compared between groups. Results: Fifty out of 1083 (4.62%) patients were aged 80 or over. Mean onset age in this group was 82.9 ± 2.59 years and 28 (56%) were men. Contrasting with the younger group, bulbar-onset was remarkably the most common presentation form (54%, p < 0.001), but with no gender preference (p = 0.52) and so was significantly shorter disease duration before first visit (13.41 ± 9.42 versus 18.84 ± 21.66 months, p = 0.001). Survival after disease onset (31.87 ± 25.45 versus 45.61 ± 39.93 months, respectively for older and younger groups, p = 0.001) was significantly dependent on age of onset, disease duration and onset form in the younger group while it was only dependent on onset form in the older group. No significant differences were observed regarding cognitive dysfunction, ALS/FTD familial history, non-invasive ventilation (NIV) or riluzole prescription. Conclusions: Very-old patients represent a minor but distinctive ALS group. A predominant bulbar presentation was disclosed and it could probably explain the shorter disease duration before first visit as well as survival. Older age was not an exclusion factor for good health care practices, in particular NIV and riluzole prescription.
Sample Efficient Adaptive Text-to-Speech

We present a meta-learning approach for adaptive text-to-speech (TTS) with few data. During training, we learn a multi-speaker model using a shared conditional WaveNet core and independent learned embeddings for each speaker. The aim of training is not to produce a neural network with fixed weights, which is then deployed as a TTS system. Instead, the aim is to produce a network that requires few data at deployment time to rapidly adapt to new speakers. We introduce and benchmark three strategies: (i) learning the speaker embedding while keeping the WaveNet core fixed, (ii) fine-tuning the entire architecture with stochastic gradient descent, and (iii) predicting the speaker embedding with a trained neural network encoder. The experiments show that these approaches are successful at adapting the multi-speaker neural network to new speakers, obtaining state-of-the-art results in both sample naturalness and voice similarity with merely a few minutes of audio data from new speakers.
Wave Energy Converter Arrays: Optimizing Power Production While Minimizing Environmental Effects

The nascent marine renewable energy (MRE) industry requires robust tools to maximize power output while evaluating the potential environmental effects of marine hydrokinetic (MHK) devices. Wave energy converter (WEC) devices in particular, are in early stages of development and may deploy a wide range of technologies to harness wave energy. The technical activities and processes used to assess WEC arrays for both power production and environmental effects requires streamlining to lower the levelized cost of wave energy projects and facilitate timely, cost-effective environmental review and compliance. A robust approach using numerical models to simulate the WEC devices and array layouts is presented that simultaneously evaluates power production and assesses environmental effects. "WEC-friendly" open-source numerical tools have been developed that are capable of assessing the environmental force on and potential changes to the environment caused by the energy extraction by WEC arrays. A case study is presented to demonstrate how the changes in WEC array configurations can be mapped and quantified using a validated model. A discussion of how changes in WEC devices and array configurations are developed to provide critical information on both engineering and environmental risk. This allows for optimization of WEC deployments to maximize power capture while minimizing environmental impacts.
Pathogen elimination and prevention within a regulated, Designated Pathogen Free, closed pig herd for long‐term breeding and production of xenotransplantation materials

We established a Source Animal (barrier) Facility (SAF) for generating designated pathogen‐free (DPF) pigs to serve as donors of viable organs, tissues, or cells for xenotransplantation into clinical patients. This facility was populated with caesarian derived, colostrum deprived (CDCD) piglets, from sows of conventional‐specific (or specified) pathogen‐free (SPF) health status in six cohorts over a 10‐month period. In all cases, CDCD piglets fulfilled DPF status including negativity for porcine circovirus (PCV), a particularly environmentally robust and difficult to inactivate virus which at the time of SAF population was epidemic in the US commercial swine production industry. Two outbreaks of PCV infection were subsequently detected during sentinel testing. The first occurred several weeks after PCV‐negative animals were moved under quarantine from the nursery into an animal holding room. The apparent origin of PCV was newly installed stainless steel penning, which was not sufficiently degreased thereby protecting viral particles from disinfection. The second outbreak was apparently transmitted via employee activities in the Caesarian‐section suite adjacent to the barrier facility. In both cases, PCV was contained in the animal holding room where it was diagnosed making a complete facility depopulation‐repopulation unnecessary.
Inhibition of WEE1 Suppresses the Tumor Growth in Laryngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

WEE1 is a tyrosine kinase that regulates G2/M cell cycle checkpoint and frequently overexpressed in various tumors. However, the expression and clinical significance of WEE1 in human laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) are still unknown. In this study, we found that WEE1 was highly expressed in LSCC tissues compared with adjacent normal tissues. Importantly, overexpression of WEE1 was correlated with T stages, lymph node metastasis, clinical stages and poor prognosis of LSCC patients. Furthermore, inhibition of WEE1 by MK-1775 induced cell growth inhibition, cell cycle arrest and apoptosis with the increased intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in LSCC cells. Pretreatment with ROS scavenger N-acetyl-L-cysteine could reverse MK-1775-induced ROS accumulation and cell apoptosis in LSCC cells. MK-1775 also inhibited the growth of LSCC xenografts in nude mice. Altogether, these findings suggest that WEE1 is a potential therapeutic target in LSCC, and inhibition of WEE1 is the prospective strategy for LSCC therapy.
When Truth Discovery Meets Medical Knowledge Graph: Estimating Trustworthiness Degree for Medical Knowledge Condition

Medical knowledge graph is the core component for various medical applications such as automatic diagnosis and question-answering. However, medical knowledge usually associates with certain conditions, which can significantly affect the performance of the supported applications. In the light of this challenge, we propose a new truth discovery method to explore medical-related texts and infer trustworthiness degrees of knowledge triples associating with different conditions. Experiments on both synthetic and real-world datasets demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed truth discovery method.