Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Meta-analysis of the effects of flaxseed interventions on blood lipids.

BACKGROUND Several clinical trials have investigated the effects of flaxseed and flaxseed-derived products (flaxseed oil or lignans) on blood lipids; however, the findings have been inconsistent. OBJECTIVE We aimed to identify and quantify the effectiveness of flaxseed and its derivatives on blood lipid profiles. DESIGN A comprehensive literature search was performed on the basis of English reports of randomized controlled trials of flaxseed or its derivatives on lipid profiles in adults, which were published from January 1990 to October 2008. Attempts also were made to access unpublished data. Study quality was assessed by using the Jadad score, and a meta-analysis was conducted. RESULTS Twenty-eight studies were included. Flaxseed interventions reduced total and LDL cholesterol by 0.10 mmol/L (95% CI: -0.20, 0.00 mmol/L) and 0.08 mmol/L (95% CI: -0.16, 0.00 mmol/L), respectively; significant reductions were observed with whole flaxseed (-0.21 and -0.16 mmol/L, respectively) and lignan (-0.28 and -0.16 mmol/L, respectively) supplements but not with flaxseed oil. The cholesterol-lowering effects were more apparent in females (particularly postmenopausal women), individuals with high initial cholesterol concentrations, and studies with higher Jadad scores. No significant changes were found in the concentrations of HDL cholesterol and triglycerides. CONCLUSIONS Flaxseed significantly reduced circulating total and LDL-cholesterol concentrations, but the changes were dependent on the type of intervention, sex, and initial lipid profiles of the subjects. Further studies are needed to determine the efficiency of flaxseed on lipid profiles in men and premenopausal women and to explore its potential benefits on other cardiometabolic risk factors and prevention of cardiovascular disease.
Robust meta‐analysis of biobank‐based genome‐wide association studies with unbalanced binary phenotypes

With the availability of large‐scale biobanks, genome‐wide scale phenome‐wide association studies are being instrumental in discovering novel genetic variants associated with clinical phenotypes. As increasing number of such association results from different biobanks become available, methods to meta‐analyse those association results is of great interest. Because the binary phenotypes in biobank‐based studies are mostly unbalanced in their case–control ratios, very few methods can provide well‐calibrated tests for associations. For example, traditional Z‐score‐based meta‐analysis often results in conservative or anticonservative Type I error rates in such unbalanced scenarios. We propose two meta‐analysis strategies that can efficiently combine association results from biobank‐based studies with such unbalanced phenotypes, using the saddlepoint approximation‐based score test method. Our first method involves sharing the overall genotype counts from each study, and the second method involves sharing an approximation of the distribution of the score test statistic from each study using cubic Hermite splines. We compare our proposed methods with a traditional Z‐score‐based meta‐analysis strategy using numerical simulations and real data applications, and demonstrate the superior performance of our proposed methods in terms of Type I error control.
Efficient Robust Model Fitting for Multistructure Data Using Global Greedy Search

In this paper, a new robust model fitting method is proposed to efficiently segment multistructure data even when they are heavily contaminated by outliers. The proposed method is composed of three steps: first, a conventional greedy search strategy is employed to generate (initial) model hypotheses based on the sequential “fit-and-remove” procedure because of its computational efficiency. Second, to efficiently generate accurate model hypotheses close to the true models, a novel global greedy search strategy initially samples from the inliers of the obtained model hypotheses and samples subsequent data subsets from the whole input data. Third, mutual information theory is applied to fuse the model hypotheses of the same model instance. The conventional greedy search strategy is used to generate model hypotheses for the remaining model instances, if the number of retained model hypotheses is less than that of the true model instances after fusion. The second and the third steps are performed iteratively until an adequate solution is obtained. Experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed method for model fitting.
Synthesis and Morphology Control of Nanoporous Cu2O/Cu and Their Application as Electrode Materials for Capacitors

In this paper, nanoporous copper (NPC) was prepared by dealloying ZrCuAl metallic glass ribbons with HF acid solutions. The effect of dealloying time on the porous structures and thickness of the obtained NPC films was investigated. It was found that the ligament sizes of the NPC could be tuned in a range from 20 to 300 nm, and the thicknesses of the NPC films from 3.1 to 14.4 μm, with properly selected dealloying times. Furthermore, nanoporous composites made of NPC and nanoporous Cu2O were prepared by oxidizing the NPC with ethanol. The nanoporous composite electrodes exhibited superior charge-discharge performance and would have broad potential applications in flexible high-performance energy storage devices.
Distinct Hippocampal versus Frontoparietal Network Contributions to Retrieval and Memory-guided Exploration

Memory can profoundly influence new learning, presumably because memory optimizes exploration of to-be-learned material. Although hippocampus and frontoparietal networks have been implicated in memory-guided exploration, their specific and interactive roles have not been identified. We examined eye movements during fMRI scanning to identify neural correlates of the influences of memory retrieval on exploration and learning. After retrieval of one object in a multiobject array, viewing was strategically directed away from the retrieved object toward nonretrieved objects, such that exploration was directed toward to-be-learned content. Retrieved objects later served as optimal reminder cues, indicating that exploration caused memory to become structured around the retrieved content. Hippocampal activity was associated with memory retrieval, whereas frontoparietal activity varied with strategic viewing patterns deployed after retrieval, thus providing spatiotemporal dissociation of memory retrieval from memory-guided learning strategies. Time-lagged fMRI connectivity analyses indicated that hippocampal activity predicted frontoparietal activity to a greater extent for a condition in which retrieval guided exploration occurred than for a passive control condition in which exploration was not influenced by retrieval. This demonstrates network-level interaction effects specific to influences of memory on strategic exploration. These findings show how memory guides behavior during learning and demonstrate distinct yet interactive hippocampal–frontoparietal roles in implementing strategic exploration behaviors that determine the fate of evolving memory representations.
P435 HER2/neu-derived peptide conjugated to liposomes containing DOPE as an effective prophylactic vaccine formulation for breast cancer

Abstract The present study was aimed to develop an effective nanoliposomal vaccine delivery system with P435 HER2/neu-derived peptide conjugated to Maleimide-PEG2000-DSPE. The nanoliposome formulation composed of DSPC/DSPG/Chol/DOPE and monophosphoryl lipid A was used as an adjuvant. Liposomal formulations were prepared and their physical properties were characterized. Anti-tumoral efficacy of formulations was evaluated by immunization of tumor-bearing BALB/c mice and the generated immune response was studied by using ELISpot and flow cytometry analysis. The results of the study demonstrated Lip + DOPE + P535 formulation caused the lowest tumor size and the longest survival time in TUBO mice model and could make it a promising candidate in developing effective vaccines against HER2-positive breast cancers.
ANTERIOR VERSUS POSTERIOR MYOTOMY DURING POEM FOR THE TREATMENT OF ACHALASIA: SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS OF RANDOMIZED CLINICAL TRIALS

BACKGROUND AND AIMS The optimal orientation of the myotomy during peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) is unknown. This meta-analysis aims to compare anterior and posterior myotomy regarding clinical success and safety. METHODS PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, WOK, and clinicaltrials.gov were searched to identify randomized clinical trials (RCTs) comparing anterior and posterior myotomy during POEM for the treatment of achalasia. The primary outcome was clinical success. Secondary outcomes included postprocedural gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), adverse events (AEs), manometric findings, and procedure-related parameters. Random-effects models were used for the primary analysis. RESULTS Four RCTs enrolling 488 patients were included. Overall clinical success 3-12 months after POEM was 97% (95% confidence interval [CI] 93-100%) and did not differ between anterior and posterior myotomy (Relative risk [RR] 0.98, 95%CI: 0.96-1.01; I2: 0%). Incidence of GERD after POEM based on 24-hour pH monitoring (RR 0.98, 95%CI: 0.75-1.28), endoscopy (RR 1.04, 95%CI: 0.78-1.38), and symptoms (RR 0.89, 95%CI: 0.55-1.42) was similar. Posterior myotomy was associated with fewer AEs (RR 0.63, 95%CI: 0.42-0.94), lower risk of mucosotomy (RR 0.42, 95%CI: 0.27-0.66) and shorter incision closure time (mean difference: -2.28 minutes, 95%CI: -3.46 to -1.10). Anterior myotomy was associated with a shorter length of hospitalization (mean difference: 0.31 days, 95%CI: 0.05-0.57), although the clinical relevance of this finding is negligible. No significant differences were found regarding manometric outcomes, total operation and myotomy time. CONCLUSIONS Anterior and posterior myotomy are equally effective for the treatment of achalasia, without significant differences in postprocedural GERD. Posterior POEM was associated with fewer AEs and a shorter incision closure time.
Raman Study of Strain Relaxation from Grain Boundaries in Epitaxial Graphene Grown by Chemical Vapor Deposition on SiC

Strains in graphene play a significant role in graphene-based electronics, but many aspects of the grain boundary effects on strained graphene remain unclear. Here, the relationship between grain boundary and strain property of graphene grown by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) on the C-face of SiC substrate has been investigated by Raman spectroscopy. It is shown that abundant boundary-like defects exist in the graphene film and the blue-shifted 2D-band frequency, which results from compressive strain in graphene film, shifts downward linearly as 1/La increases. Strain relaxation caused by grain boundary diffusion is considered to be the reason and the mechanism is analyzed in detail.
Twin CHCH Proteins, CHCHD2, and CHCHD10: Key Molecules of Parkinson’s Disease, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, and Frontotemporal Dementia

Mutations of coiled-coil-helix-coiled-coil-helix domain containing 2 (CHCHD2) and 10 (CHCHD10) have been found to be linked to Parkinson’s disease (PD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and/or frontotemporal lobe dementia (FTD). CHCHD2 and CHCHD10 proteins, which are homologous proteins with 54% identity in amino acid sequence, belong to the mitochondrial coiled-coil-helix-coiled-coil-helix (CHCH) domain protein family. A series of studies reveals that these twin proteins form a multimodal complex, producing a variety of pathophysiology by the disease-causing variants of these proteins. In this review, we summarize the present knowledge about the physiological and pathological roles of twin proteins, CHCHD2 and CHCHD10, in neurodegenerative diseases.
Current and emerging pharmacotherapy for the treatment of infections following open-heart surgery

ABSTRACT Introduction: Patients undergoing open-heart surgery may suffer from postoperative complications, including severe infections. Antimicrobials to treat infectious complications in this population should be selected thoughtfully, taking into account three different and fundamental issues: (i) the site of infection; (ii) the suspected or proven causative agent and its susceptibility pattern; and (iii) the risk of suboptimal pharmacokinetic characteristics and potential toxicity of the chosen drug/s. Areas covered: The present narrative review summarizes the current and future antimicrobial options for the treatment of infections developing after open-heart surgery. Expert opinion: The pharmacological treatment of infections developing in cardiac surgery patients poses peculiar challenges, including the need for an active empirical therapy for severe events such as bloodstream infections, deep sternal wound infections, or early-onset postoperative prosthetic endocarditis. In addition, the risk for multidrug-resistant pathogens should also be taken into account in endemic areas. A multidisciplinary evaluation on a patient-by-patient basis, deeply involving infectious diseases specialists and cardiothoracic surgeons, remains essential for appropriately balancing both short-term and long-term risks and benefits of any possible surgical reintervention in combination with adequate pharmacotherapy.
Effect of Cryopreservation on Lipid Peroxidation, Antioxidant Potential, Chromatin Integrity, and Mitochondrial Activity of Indian Red Jungle Fowl (Gallus gallus murghi) Semen.

AIM The study elucidates the impact of cryopreservation on lipid peroxidation (LPO), antioxidant potential, DNA integrity, and mitochondrial activity of Indian red jungle fowl sperm. MATERIALS AND METHODS Semen from eight mature cocks was pooled and diluted at 37°C using a specific medium for red fowl species. The diluted semen samples were immediately refrigerated at 4°C for 2 hours (0.275°C min-1). Glycerol was then added to a final concentration of 20%, and the samples were equilibrated for 10 minutes at 5°C before loading into 0.25 mL French straws. These straws were then frozen by placing them in liquid nitrogen vapor for 10 minutes and plunged into liquid nitrogen. Motility, viability, DNA integrity, antioxidant activity, and LPO were assessed before dilution (fresh semen), after equilibration (processed semen), and post-thawing (frozen semen). RESULTS Sperm motility, viability, DNA integrity, and mitochondrial activity decreased (p < 0.05) in processed and frozen semen compared with fresh semen. Nevertheless, the concentration of malondialdehyde (MDA) in sperm and seminal plasma was greater (p < 0.05) in frozen-thawed and processed semen compared with fresh semen. Multivariate regression analysis showed a negative impact of MDA concentration in sperm (R2 = 0.90, Wilk's λ = 0.003, p < 0.001) and seminal plasma (R2 = 0.84, Wilk's λ = 0.02, p < 0.001) on motility, viability, DNA integrity, and mitochondrial activity. Nonetheless, total antioxidant capacity (TAC) had a positive impact on sperm variables (R2 = 0.82, Wilk's λ = 0.096, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS The decrease in motility, viability, DNA integrity, and mitochondrial activity of Indian red jungle fowl sperm was associated with an increase in LPO during cryopreservation. Furthermore, TAC was reduced during the freeze-thaw process, which was insufficient in protecting the sperm against high reactive oxygen species levels.
Is there a place for esophageal manometry in the care of patients with injured lungs?

as someone who trained in an era in which respiratory physiology occupied center stage in the education of budding pulmonologists, I recall, not so fondly I might add, being locked in a body plethysmograph, chewing on a mouth piece, and, with every swallow, feeling the tuck of the esophageal balloon
Subgenotype A1 of HBV – Tracing Human Migrations in and Out of Africa

Background HBV subgenotype A1 is the dominant genotype A strain in Africa, with molecular characteristics differentiating it from A2, which prevails elsewhere. Outside Africa, A1 is confined to areas with migration history from Africa, including India and Latin America. The aim of this study was to reconstruct A1 phylogeny on a spatial scale in order to determine whether A1 can be used to track human migrations. Methods A phylogenetic comparison of A1 was established using neighbour-joining analysis of complete genomes, and the Bayesian method, implemented in BEAST, was performed on the S region of isolates from 22 countries. Migration events were estimated by ancestral state reconstruction using the criterion of parsimony. Results From the tree reconstruction, nucleotide divergence calculations and migration analysis, it was evident that Africa was the source of dispersal of A1 globally, and its dispersal to Asia and Latin America occurred at a similar time period. Strains from South Africa were the most divergent, clustering in both the African and Asian/American clades and a South African subclade was the origin of A1. The effect of the 9th to 19th century trade and slave routes on the dispersal of A1 was evident and certain unexpected findings, such as the co-clustering of Somalian and Latin American strains, and the dispersal of A1 from India to Haiti, correlated with historical evidence. Conclusions Phylogeographic analyses of subgenotype A1 can be used to trace human migrations in and out of Africa and the plausible sites of origin and migration routes are presented.
Adaptation Mechanisms of Small Ruminants to Environmental Heat Stress

Simple Summary Heat stress is an intriguing factor that negatively influences livestock production and reproduction performance. Sheep and goat are among the livestock that can adapt to environmental heat stress via a combination of physiological, morphological, behavioral, and genetic bases. Sheep and goat are able to minimize adverse effect of high thermal stress by invoking behavioral responses such as feeding, water intake, shade seeking, and increased frequency of drinking. Their morphological mechanisms are comprised of body shape and size, light hair color, lightly pigmented skin, and less subcutaneous fat, and the physiological means are that of increased respiration rate (RR), increased sweating rate (SW), reduced metabolic rate, and change in endocrine function. Adaptation in terms of genetics is the heritable trait of animal characteristics which favor the survival of populations. For instance, genes like heat shock proteins 70 (HSP70) and ENOX2 are commonly expressed proteins which protect animals against heat stress. Abstract Small ruminants are the critical source of livelihood for rural people to the development of sustainable and environmentally sound production systems. They provided a source of meat, milk, skin, and fiber. The several contributions of small ruminants to the economy of millions of rural people are however being challenged by extreme heat stress difficulties. Heat stress is one of the most detrimental factors contributing to reduced growth, production, reproduction performance, milk quantity and quality, as well as natural immunity, making animals more vulnerable to diseases and even death. However, small ruminants have successfully adapted to this extreme environment and possess some unique adaptive traits due to behavioral, morphological, physiological, and largely genetic bases. This review paper, therefore, aims to provide an integrative explanation of small ruminant adaptation to heat stress and address some responsible candidate genes in adapting to thermal-stressed environments.
Eavesdropping and Jamming Selection Policy for Suspicious UAVs Based on Low Power Consumption over Fading Channels

Traditional wireless security focuses on preventing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) communications from suspicious eavesdropping and/or jamming attacks. However, there is a growing need for governments to keep malicious UAV communications under legitimate surveillance. This paper first investigates a new surveillance paradigm for monitoring suspicious UAV communications via jamming suspicious UAVs. Due to the power consumption limitation, the choice of eavesdropping and jamming will reflect the performance of the UAVs communication. Therefore, the paper analyses the UAV’s eavesdropping and jamming models in different cases, and then proposes the model to optimize the data package in the constraints of lower power consumption, which can be solved by the proposed selection policy. The simulation results validate our proposed selection policy in terms of power consumption and eavesdropped packets. In different fading models, power consumption increases with time, regardless of distances, and our proposed policy performs better in Weibull fading channels in terms of eavesdropped packets.
Left Atrial Stiffness: A Predictor of Atrial Fibrillation Recurrence after Radiofrequency Catheter Ablation - A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background Radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) is a standard procedure for patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) not responsive to previous treatments, that has been increasingly considered as a first-line therapy. In this context, perioperative screening for risk factors has become important. A previous study showed that a high left atrial (LA) pressure is associated with AF recurrence after ablation, which may be secondary to a stiff left atrium. Objective To investigate, through a systematic review and meta-analysis, if LA stiffness could be a predictor of AF recurrence after RFCA, and to discuss its clinical use. Methods The meta-analysis followed the MOOSE recommendations. The search was performed in MEDLINE and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases, until March 2018. Two authors performed screening, data extraction and quality assessment of the studies. Results All studies were graded with good quality. A funnel plot was constructed, which did not show any publication bias. Four prospective observational studies were included in the systematic review and 3 of them in the meta-analysis. Statistical significance was defined at p value < 0.05. LA stiffness was a strong independent predictor of AF recurrence after RFCA (HR = 3.55, 95% CI 1.75-4.73, p = 0.0002). Conclusion A non-invasive assessment of LA stiffness prior to ablation can be used as a potential screening factor to select or to closely follow patients with higher risks of AF recurrence and development of the stiff LA syndrome.