Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Adipose tissue is a critical regulator of osteoarthritis

Significance Obesity is a primary risk factor for osteoarthritis, involving complex interactions among the metabolic, biomechanical, and inflammatory factors caused by increased adiposity. Using a mouse model of lipodystrophy, we demonstrate that fat-free mice on either a chow or high-fat diet are protected from cartilage damage, despite demonstrating many factors previously associated with osteoarthritis. Furthermore, implantation of a small fat pad reverses cartilage protection in lipodystrophic mice, indicating a direct relationship between adipose tissue and cartilage damage, independent of body weight. This study provides evidence of adipose–cartilage signaling, indicating that tissues outside the joint can influence cartilage health. These findings support the notion that osteoarthritis involves a systemic component, providing insight into the development of new therapeutic targets for osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis (OA), the leading cause of pain and disability worldwide, disproportionally affects individuals with obesity. The mechanisms by which obesity leads to the onset and progression of OA are unclear due to the complex interactions among the metabolic, biomechanical, and inflammatory factors that accompany increased adiposity. We used a murine preclinical model of lipodystrophy (LD) to examine the direct contribution of adipose tissue to OA. Knee joints of LD mice were protected from spontaneous or posttraumatic OA, on either a chow or high-fat diet, despite similar body weight and the presence of systemic inflammation. These findings indicate that adipose tissue itself plays a critical role in the pathophysiology of OA. Susceptibility to posttraumatic OA was reintroduced into LD mice using implantation of a small adipose tissue depot derived from wild-type animals or mouse embryonic fibroblasts that undergo spontaneous adipogenesis, implicating paracrine signaling from fat, rather than body weight, as a mediator of joint degeneration.
THE EYE OF CRAB-EATING FOX (CERDOCYON THOUS): ANATOMICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND NORMATIVE VALUES OF SELECTED DIAGNOSTIC TESTS, MORPHOMETRY OF CORNEAL TISSUE, AND ARRANGEMENTS OF CORNEAL STROMAL COLLAGEN FIBERS

Abstract: This study aimed to evaluate the ophthalmic parameters, morphometric features of corneal tissue, and arrangements of corneal stromal collagen fibers in crab-eating fox (Cerdocyon thous), a species of neotropical wild canid. We conducted the study on six juvenile crab-eating foxes (12 eyes), whilst 16 eyes were obtained post mortem from eight adult crab-eating foxes. The research was divided into two stages. In the first stage, eye anatomical characteristics, tear production (Schirmer 1 tear test, STT1), intraocular pressure (IOP), ocular echobiometry, and specular microscopy parameters related to morphology of corneal endothelium were studied in juvenile animals. In the second stage, morphometric features of corneal tissue (central corneal thickness [CCT] and corneal epithelium thickness) and arrangements of stromal collagen fibers were studied using eyes from adult animals. The main findings were that crab-eating fox eyes have vertical-slit pupils, holangiotic retina, and reference values (mean ± SD) of 13.37 ± 3.79 mm/min for STT1 and of 10.43 ± 3.84 mmHg for IOP. The ocular echobiometric features observed in crab-eating foxes are different from those reported for domestic dogs (Canis familiaris). Conversely, the corneal endothelial parameters are similar to those of domestic dogs. The CCT measured by tissue morphometry was 0.54 ± 0.06 mm, and the corneal epithelium thickness was 60.13 ± 8.71 µm. Mean coherency related to alignment of collagen fibers was 0.66 ± 0.12. The crab-eating fox cornea had predominantly thick collagen fibers. Crab-eating fox eyes have morphofunctional peculiarities. They resemble the eyes of domestic dogs in some aspects, but diverge in others.
Prospective Follow-up of Intramedullary Slitlike Cavities: A Consecutive Series of 48 Patients

Object: Predicting whether intramedullary slitlike cavity (SC) will worsen over time or remain stable is an outstanding clinical challenge. The aim of this study was to identify early features of SC (clinical and magnetic resonance imaging [MRI] findings). Methods: We prospectively included all patients referred to our institution following the discovery of a SC and divided them in two groups: typical SC (defined as a cavity spanning fewer than three vertebrae, not enlarging the spinal cord, and located at the midline between the anterior third and posterior two-thirds of the spinal cord) or atypical SC (all others). Clinical evolution and changes in MRI features were evaluated during follow-up. In some patients, diffusion tensor imaging was performed and cervical cord cross-sectional area was analyzed. Results: A total of 48 consecutive patients were included in the study. The mean follow-up was 58 months. Of the seven patients presenting with deficits at first consultation, two worsened and five remained stable. Of the 41 patients without deficits, seven worsened and 34 remained stable. None of the patients developed severe motor deficits or experienced enlargement of the cavity; 7% of patients who presented with typical SC worsened compared with 35% with atypical SC. The negative predictive value was 0.93 (P = 0.02). Conclusion: Most patients remained stable and a subset of patients developed minor motor deficits. For clinical management, we propose surveillance of patients with a typical SC and close follow-up of those with an atypical SC and/or presenting with deficits.
Cyanogens in Cassava Flour and Roots and Urinary Thiocyanate Concentration in Mozambique

Abstract The total cyanogen content of 90 cassava flour samples from Mujocojo, Terrene A and Acordos de Lusaka in Nampula Province of Mozambique was determined in 1997 using the simple picrate kit method. The results at the first two locations were compared with those obtained at the same locations at the same time of the year in 1996. There was a significant decrease of about 50% in the cyanogen levels at Mujocojo and Terrene A in 1997. Results from Acordos de Lusaka and Mujocojo showed that flour processing by heap fermentation gave a substantially lower cyanogen content compared with sun drying. This confirms the conclusion found in our previous study. The cyanogen levels of flour from Acordos de Lusaka were very high (mean value 67 (39) ppm). The amount of available cyanogen (acetone cyanohydrin +HCN/CN − ) and partially available cyanogen (linamarin) was determined for 37 samples of cassava flour. There was no correlation between the amounts of available cyanogen and partially available cyanogen. Twenty-nine samples of urine from school children at Acordos de Lusaka gave a mean value of thiocyanate content of 512(277) μmolL −1 .
Real Estate Asset Management Companies' Economies of Scale: Is It a Dream or Reality? The Italian Case

The research focuses on a sample of 26 Italian real estate asset management companies (Società di Gestione del Risparmio “SGR”)—whose asset management is totally linked to real estate funds—that considers a period of six years (2013–2018). Using some variables extrapolated from the internal accountability of each SGR, the analysis investigates possible relationships between them to verify the presence or absence of economies of scale of Italian real estate management companies by multivariate regressions. The results show that there is no single model for profit maximization and cost minimization, but all depends on the business model that each SGR decides to adopt.
Retraction: Aquaporin-4 Inhibition Mediates Piroxicam-Induced Neuroprotection against Focal Cerebral Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury in Rodents

Following the publication of this article [1], concerns were raised regarding similarities in text and figures in this article and previously published articles in Brain Research [2, 3], Neuropharmacology [4], Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology [5], Medical Hypotheses [6] and Anesthesia & Analgesia [7]. Furthermore, the editors noted similarities between figures in this article and figures later published in The Journal of Physiology and Biochemistry [8] and Life Sciences [9]. Specifically:
Effects of Frying-Chilling-Reheating on the Lipid Content and Fatty Acid Composition of Cultured Sturgeon (Huso huso, Beluga) Fillets

Slices of Huso huso were fried, chilled, and then reheated to evaluate for the changes in lipid characteristics. The total lipid content of raw sample was 3.09 g/100 g which consists of 29.1 g/100 g saturated fatty acids (SFAs), 42.554 g/100 g monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), and 28.126 g/100 g polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). In fried samples, levels of C18 fatty acid groups, MUFAs, PUFAs, and n6/n3 ratio increased while SFAs, EPA, and DHA content decreased. Upon chill storage, C18:2 fatty acid and n6/n3 ratio decreased while n3 fatty acids increased slightly. Free fatty acid (FFA) decreased after frying, but peroxide value (PV) increased with subsequent decrease at chilled condition.
Mechanical Adaptations of Epithelial Cells on Various Protruded Convex Geometries

The shape of epithelial tissue supports physiological functions of organs such as intestinal villi and corneal epithelium. Despite the mounting evidence showing the importance of geometry in tissue microenvironments, the current understanding on how it affects biophysical behaviors of cells is still elusive. Here, we cultured cells on various protruded convex structure such as triangle, square, and circle shape fabricated using two-photon laser lithography and quantitatively analyzed individual cells. Morphological data indicates that epithelial cells can sense the sharpness of the corner by showing the characteristic cell alignments, which was caused by actin contractility. Cell area was mainly influenced by surface convexity, and Rho-activation increased cell area on circle shape. Moreover, we found that intermediate filaments, vimentin, and cytokeratin 8/18, play important roles in growth and adaptation of epithelial cells by enhancing expression level on convex structure depending on the shape. In addition, microtubule building blocks, α-tubulin, was also responded on geometric structure, which indicates that intermediate filaments and microtubule can cooperatively secure mechanical stability of epithelial cells on convex surface. Altogether, the current study will expand our understanding of mechanical adaptations of cells on out-of-plane geometry.
Screening of Actinomycetes Producing an ATPase Inhibitor of Japanese Encephalitis Virus RNA Helicase from Soil and Leaf Litter Samples

(JEV), in order to identify a drug candidate for the treatment of JEV infection. Results revealed that 14 isolates have relatively high inhibition-activity on JEV ATPase activity of the JEV-RNA- helicase, which range from approximately 40.0-50.0% inhibition. The highest inhibition-activity was identified in 5-849 with 49. 9% of inhibition-activity and 5-095 with 49.2% of inhibition-activity.
Novel cationic lipids for gene delivery and gene therapy

The ability to produce and express foreign genes in humans might cure or even prevent many important human diseases that are either treated poorly or are untreatable by present therapies. However, insufficient transgene expression in vivo has so far impaired the development of effective gene therapy. Thus, it is of interest to develop compositions and delivery methods for gene therapy that lead to high level transgene expression in a variety of cell and tissue types. Synthetic DNA delivery agents are of crucial interest for gene therapy as an alternative to viral vectors, since they potentially display fewer risks in terms of immunogenicity and propagation and are easier to produce under GMP conditions. In the last decade, a significant number of industrial and academic groups have emerged with a number of important patents claiming a variety of synthetic DNA delivery agents. Some of these agents were launched into clinical trials at very early stages of development leading to rather modest results. The l.
Stress-Induced Increase in Cortisol Negatively Affects the Consolidation of Contextual Elements of Episodic Memories

Stress can modulate episodic memory in various ways. The present study asks how post-encoding stress affects visual context memory. Participants encoded object images centrally positioned on background scenes. After encoding, they were either exposed to cold pressure stress (CPS) or a warm water control procedure. Forty-right hours later, participants were cued with object images, and for each image, they were asked to select the background scene with which it was paired during study among three highly similar options. Only male but not female participants reacted with a significant increase in salivary cortisol to CPS, and the stress and control group did not differ in recognition performance. Comparing recognition performance between stress responders and non-responders, however, revealed a significant impairment in context memory in responders. Additionally, proportional increase in cortisol was negatively correlated with the number of correctly recognized scenes in responders. Due to the small number of responders, these findings need to be interpreted with caution but provide preliminary evidence that stress-induced cortisol increase negatively affects the consolidation of contextual elements of episodic memories.
Dynamic Event-Triggered Control for Interval Type-2 Fuzzy Systems Under Fading Channel

This article is to tackle the event-based state-feedback control problem for interval type-2 (IT2) fuzzy systems subject to the fading channel. For saving communication resources, a dynamic event-triggered (ET) mechanism is utilized to decide the data transmission from sensors to the controller. A time-varying random process is employed to characterize the fading phenomenon in the unpredictable communication network. By considering the effect of channel fading, a nonparallel distribution compensation (non-PDC) IT2 fuzzy controller is synthesized and its number of rules and membership functions (MFs) can be freely selected. As a consequence, the closed-loop fuzzy system possesses imperfectly matched MFs. By taking the global membership boundary information into stability analysis, the membership-function-dependent analysis method is employed to handle these imperfectly matched MFs and to obtain relaxed criteria. Besides, sufficient criteria are obtained so that the resulting closed-loop IT2 fuzzy system can achieve stochastic stability despite fading measurements. The effectiveness of the proposed method is illustrated by a mass–spring–damper system and a numerical example.
Molecularly imprinted polymers—A closer look at the control polymer used in determining the imprinting effect: A mini review

Molecular recognition displayed by naturally occurring receptors has continued to inspire new innovations aimed at developing systems that can mimic this natural phenomenon. Since 1930s, a technology called molecular imprinting for producing biomimetic receptors has been in place. In this technology, tailor made binding sites that selectively bind a given target analyte (also called template) are incorporated in a polymer matrix by polymerizing functional monomers and cross‐linking monomers around a target analyte followed by removal of the analyte to leave behind cavities specific to the analyte. The success of the imprinting process is defined by two main figures of merit, that is, the imprinting factor, and selectivity, which are determined by comparing the amount of target analyte or structural analogue bound by the molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) and the nonimprinted polymer (NIP). NIP is a control synthesized alongside the MIP but in the absence of the template. However, questions arise on whether these figures of merit are reliable measures of the imprinting effect because of the significant differences between the MIP and the NIP in terms of their physical and chemical characteristics. Therefore, this review critically looks into this subject, with a view of defining the best approaches for determining the imprinting effect.
Compartmentalizing oxidative stress

‘Compartmental descriptions can be as diverse as organisms within an ecosystem or small molecules within a subcellular organelle. ’ Oxidative stress is frequently invoked to explain biological injury, but the lack of a clear definition for this term may mask underlying mechanisms rather than contribute to its understanding. The diverse and complex phenomena related to oxidative stress contribute to the problem of definition. Our goals are to review basic concepts of oxidation and introduce a qualitative compartmental kinetic model in an effort to help to clarify this definition and provide a framework for exploring the myriad inter-relationships. While oxidation and reduction formally refer
Deep-learning algorithm helps to standardise ATS/ERS spirometric acceptability and usability criteria

Rationale While American Thoracic Society (ATS)/European Respiratory Society (ERS) quality control criteria for spirometry include several quantitative limits, it also requires manual visual inspection. The current approach is time consuming and leads to high intertechnician variability. We propose a deep-learning approach called convolutional neural network (CNN), to standardise spirometric manoeuvre acceptability and usability. Methods and methods In 36 873 curves from the National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey USA 2011–2012, technicians labelled 54% of curves as meeting ATS/ERS 2005 acceptability criteria with satisfactory start and end of test, but identified 93% of curves with a usable forced expiratory volume in 1 s. We processed raw data into images of maximal expiratory flow–volume curve (MEFVC), calculated ATS/ERS quantifiable criteria and developed CNNs to determine manoeuvre acceptability and usability on 90% of the curves. The models were tested on the remaining 10% of curves. We calculated Shapley values to interpret the models. Results In the test set (n=3738), CNN showed an accuracy of 87% for acceptability and 92% for usability, with the latter demonstrating a high sensitivity (92%) and specificity (96%). They were significantly superior (p<0.0001) to ATS/ERS quantifiable rule-based models. Shapley interpretation revealed MEFVC<1 s (MEFVC pattern within first second of exhalation) and plateau in volume–time were most important in determining acceptability, while MEFVC<1 s entirely determined usability. Conclusion The CNNs identified relevant attributes in spirometric curves to standardise ATS/ERS manoeuvre acceptability and usability recommendations, and further provides individual manoeuvre feedback. Our algorithm combines the visual experience of skilled technicians and ATS/ERS quantitative rules in automating the critical phase of spirometry quality control. Deep-learning models were developed to standardise ATS/ERS spirometric acceptability and usability criteria. This approach reduces the intertechnician variability and provides instant feedback to the user https://bit.ly/3dNFe1i
Lipid mobilization and locomotor stimulation in Gryllus bimaculatus by topically applied adipokinetic hormone

Abstract. Walking activity of 3‐day‐old adult female Gryllus bimaculatus (de Geer) (Ensifera, Gryllidae) was measured over 24 h. A high level of locomotor activity during the scotophase was found, which was two‐ to three‐fold higher than that during the photophase. The titre of lipid in the haemolymph was relatively low 2 h after lights on, increased significantly 2 h after lights off, although, 2 h after lights on in the next photophase, the lipid titre had decreased to the basal level. Topical application of homologous Grybi‐adipokinetic hormone (AKH) (100 pmol in 20% 2‐propanol) led to a significant increase in haemolymph lipids, comparable with the maximal increase caused by injection of AKH (3 pmol in water). Topical application of AKH also stimulated locomotor activity in crickets (maximal stimulation 1.8‐fold with 100 pmol Grybi‐AKH). The results suggest that AKH penetrates the cuticle quickly. It is assumed that AKH stimulates locomotory activity at least in part via the increase of haemolymph lipid titres; however, the stimulation of locomotor activity via a direct neuromodulatory effect of AKH cannot be excluded.
Phylogeny of Grumichellini Morse, 1981 (Trichoptera: Leptoceridae) with the description of a new genus from southeastern Peru

Osflintia manu, new genus, new species, of long-horned caddisfly (Leptoceridae: Triplectidinae: Grumichellini) is described and illustrated from southeastern Peru. The phylogeny of Grumichellini Morse (Leptoceridae: Triplectidinae) is revisited and hypotheses of homology of some morphological characters are reconsidered. The monophyly of the tribe is corroborated and the phylogenetic relationships of its included genera are inferred to be (Triplexa (Gracilipsodes ((Grumichella, Amazonatolica) (Atanatolica, Osflintia, n. gen.)))) from adult and larval characters. Diagnostic characters of the new genus include the following: reduced tibial spur formula (2, 2, 2), loss of forewing crossvein sc-r1, hind wing discoidal cell closed, hind wing fork IV present, pair of long setae on tergum IX of the male genitalia, and pair of processes on the apex of segment X.
Prospective associations, longitudinal patterns of childhood socioeconomic status, and white matter organization in adulthood

Abstract The association between childhood socioeconomic status (SES) and brain development is an emerging area of research. The primary focus to date has been on SES and variations in gray matter structure with much less known about the relation between childhood SES and white matter structure. Using a longitudinal study of SES, with measures of income‐to‐needs ratio (INR) at age 9, 13, 17, and 24, we examined the prospective relationship between childhood SES (age 9 INR) and white matter organization in adulthood using diffusion tensor imaging. We also examined how changes in INR from childhood through young adulthood are associated with white matter organization in adult using a latent growth mixture model. Using tract‐based spatial statistics (TBSS) we found that there is a significant prospective positive association between childhood INR and white matter organization in the bilateral uncinate fasciculus, bilateral cingulum bundle, bilateral superior longitudinal fasciculus, and corpus callosum (p < .05, FWE corrected). The probability that an individual was in the high‐increasing INR profile across development compared with the low‐increasing INR profile was positively associated with white matter organization in the bilateral uncinate fasciculus, left cingulum, and bilateral superior longitudinal fasciculus. The results of the current study have potential implications for interventions given that early childhood poverty may have long‐lasting associations with white matter structure. Furthermore, trajectories of socioeconomic status during childhood are important—with individuals that belong to the latent profile that had high increases in INR having greater regional white matter organization in adulthood.