Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Unpacking genetic risk pathways for college student alcohol consumption: The mediating role of impulsivity.

BACKGROUND The period of college represents a particularly risky developmental stage with regards to alcohol use, as college students engage in more risky drinking behaviors than their non-college peers, and such problematic alcohol use is associated with far-reaching negative consequences. Existing findings from genome-wide association studies (GWAS) indicate that alcohol consumption has a complex polygenic etiology. Currently, there is a lack of studies examining genetic risk for alcohol consumption using polygenic risk scores (PRS) in college samples. In this study, we examined whether alcohol-specific and risky-behavior-related PRS were longitudinally associated with alcohol consumption among college students and whether this effect might be partially mediated by impulsivity domains. METHOD The sample included n = 2,385 European and n = 1,153 African ancestry college students assessed over the course of four years. To indicate genetic risk, two PRS were created based on recent large-scale GWAS: alcohol consumption (Liu et al., 2019) - DPW (drinks per week)-PRS, and risky behaviors (Linnér et al., 2019) - RISK-PRS. The main outcome was alcohol consumption, measured across four waves of follow-up data. The UPPS-P impulsivity subscales were examined as mediators of the genetic effect on alcohol consumption. RESULTS The results from structural equation modeling showed that among European ancestry students, both DPW-PRS and RISK-PRS had significant positive effects on alcohol consumption above and beyond UPPS dimensions and control variables. RISK-PRS explained larger portion of variance in alcohol consumption than DPW-PRS. RISK-PRS showed a significant indirect effect on alcohol consumption through Sensation seeking and Lack of perseverance; no significant indirect effect of DPW-PRS was found. No significant association of either PRS and alcohol consumption was found for African ancestry participants. CONCLUSIONS The current results found that PRS related to more broadly-defined risky behaviors predicted alcohol consumption across college years, and that this association was partially mediated via dimensions of impulsivity. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Optimal and responsible use of antibiotics.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW In this review, we focus on the dual face of antibiotic therapy in the critically ill that must harmonize the need for early, appropriate and adequate antibiotic therapy in the individual-infected patient with the obligation to limit antibiotic selection pressure as much as possible to preserve its future potential. RECENT FINDINGS Recent articles have highlighted and detailed the various aspects, which determine antibiotic efficacy, and have identified adjunctive treatments, such as source control, which impact outcome. In addition, settings and indications where antibiotics do not improve outcome and may cause harm have been identified. SUMMARY Reconciling antibiotic efficacy with the limitations of their use is feasible but requires a dedicated and sustained effort throughout the whole process of clinical decision-making, from initial suspicion of sepsis to its definitive treatment.
Absence does not make the heart grow fonder: an interesting case of partial pericardium

A 45-year-old man presented with atrial fibrillation. A chest radiograph demonstrated a slightly lobulated superior left cardiopericardial silhouette. Transthoracic echocardiogram raised the concern for a right ventricular (RV) mass and a tumour-protocol cardiovascular magnetic resonance study was arranged. This demonstrated abrupt pericardial discontinuity, with the right-sided pericardial edge causing focal, extrinsic RV compression (Figure 1), with normal indexed RV end-diastolic volume (77 mL/m) but impaired RV ejection fraction (34%) quantified on short-axis steadystate free precession cines. Left ventricular (LV) morphology and function were normal. Cardiac computed tomography was performed to define the pericardial abnormality with higher spatial resolution. This confirmed a large defect in the anterior and lateral pericardium with complete LV and partial RV herniation (Figure 2). There were no discernible superior pericardial recesses and also evidence of lung invaginating between left inferior pulmonary vein
DNA Rchitect: an R based visualizer for network analysis of chromatin interaction data

MOTIVATION Visualization of multiple genomic data generally requires the use of public or commercially hosted browsers. Flexible visualization of chromatin interaction data as genomic features and network components offer informative insights to gene expression. An open source application for visualizing HiC and chromatin conformation-based data as 2D- arcs accompanied by interactive network analyses is valuable. RESULTS DNA Rchitect is a new tool created to visualize HiC and chromatin conformation-based contacts at high (Kb) and low (Mb) genomic resolutions. The user can upload their pre-filtered HiC experiment in bedpe format to the DNA Rchitect web app that we have hosted or to a version they themselves have deployed. Using DNA Rchitect, the uploaded data allows the user to visualize different interactions of their sample, perform simple network analyses, while also offering visualization of other genomic data types. The user can then download their results for additional network functionality offered in network based programs such as Cytoscape. Availability and Implementation DNA Rchitect is freely available both as a web application written primarily in R available at http://shiny.immgen. org/DNARchitect/ and as an open source released under an MIT license at: https://github.com/alosdiallo/DNA_Rchitect.
Supervised Multi-Authority Scheme with Blind Signature for IoT with Attribute Based Encryption

This article proposes a three-side cryptographic scheme for verifying device attributes with a Supervisor and a Certification Authority (CA) for attribute-based encryption. Two options are suggested: using a message authentication code and using a digital signature. The first version is suitable for networks with one CA, and the second one for networks with several CAs, including dynamic systems. Also, the addition of this scheme with a blind signature is proposed to preserve the confidentiality of the device attributes from the CA. The introduction gives a definition and a brief historical overview of attribute-based encryption (ABE), addresses the use of ABE in the Internet of Things.
Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry

Neonicotinoid insecticides have been shown to have high chronic toxicity relative to acute toxicity, and therefore short‐term toxicity tests ≤96 h in duration may underestimate their environmental risks. Among nontarget aquatic invertebrates, insects of the orders Diptera and Ephemeroptera have been found to be the most sensitive to neonicotinoids. To undertake a more accurate assessment of the risks posed by neonicotinoids to freshwater ecosystems, more data are needed from long‐term tests employing the most sensitive taxa. Using nymphs of the common New Zealand mayfly genus Deleatidium spp. , we performed 28‐d static‐renewal exposures with the widely used neonicotinoids imidacloprid, clothianidin, and thiamethoxam. We monitored survival, immobility, impairment, and mayfly moulting propensity at varying time points throughout the experiment. Imidacloprid and clothianidin exerted strong chronic toxicity effects on Deleatidium nymphs, with 28‐d median lethal concentrations (LC50s) of 0.28 and 1.36 μg/L, respectively, whereas thiamethoxam was the least toxic, with a 28‐d LC50> 4 μg/L (highest concentration tested). Mayfly moulting propensity was also negatively affected by clothianidin (during 3 of 4 wk), imidacloprid (2 of 4 wk), and thiamethoxam (1 of 4 wk). Comparisons with published neonicotinoid chronic toxicity data for other mayfly taxa and larvae of the midge genus Chironomus showed similar sensitivities for mayflies and midges, suggesting that experiments using these taxa provide reliable assessments of the threats of neonicotinoids to the most vulnerable freshwater species. Environ Toxicol Chem 2019;38:2459–2471. © 2019 SETAC
Evaluation of a novel flow‐controlled syringe infusion pump for precise and continuous drug delivery at low flow rates: a laboratory study

Syringe infusion pumps are used for the administration of short‐acting drugs in anaesthesia and critical care medicine, but are prone to flow irregularities at low flow rates. A flow‐controlled syringe infusion pump using an integrated flow sensor for feedback control represents a new approach to overcoming these limitations. This study compares the performance of a prototype flow‐controlled syringe pump both at start‐up, and during vertical displacement manoeuvres, with that of a standard infusion syringe pump. The novel pump almost completely eliminated delays at start‐up and flow irregularities during hydrostatic pressure changes. Related fluctuations in plasma drug concentration were minimised and the known disadvantages of standard syringe infusion pumps currently used in clinical practice were reduced. Besides providing fast start‐up to steady‐state flow and precise continuous drug delivery at low flow rates during hydrostatic pressure changes, the new pump offers the potential for the development of target‐controlled infusion algorithms for short‐acting cardiovascular and other drugs.
A Visual Navigation Control Method of Substation Inspection Robot

According to the real condition of the substation inspection robot provided a vision-based navigation control method for substation inspection robot can be run in the complex road environment, with strong anti-interference, implementation of simple, good stability and high precision in this paper. In the rational planning of substation robot inspection path, making robots able to inspect substation equipment fully. Robots get information of navigation path through the visual, using HSV color space model effectively solve the interference of illumination in the image, then calculate the current offset of the center, and sent it to the controller, adjusting left and right wheels with differential speed make the robot running stably. Keywords-substation inspection robot; navigation path; rebuild gray image; template matching
Huntington disease

Huntington disease (HD) is a progressive, inherited neurodegenerative disorder characterized by motor, cognitive, and behavioral features, with symptom onset most often in mid-adulthood. HD is caused by a trinucleotide repeat expansion in the huntingtin gene (HTT), encoding the protein huntingtin, resulting in a mutant protein containing an expanded polyglutamine sequence. Although more widespread neuronal loss is evident in advanced disease, neuropathologic changes in early HD are most prominent in the striatum with loss of striatal medium spiny neurons (MSN). 1 There is good evidence that striatal changes precede the onset of clinical symptoms with MRI indications of striatal atrophy occurring 10 or more years prior to clinical onset.2 HD is inexorably progressive, leading to death approximately 20 years after symptom onset. Attempts to alter this natural history with disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) have been unrewarding but there are some exciting DMT possibilities on the horizon.
The roles of reactive oxygen species and antioxidants in cryopreservation

Cryopreservation has facilitated advancement of biological research by allowing the storage of cells over prolonged periods of time. While cryopreservation at extremely low temperatures would render cells metabolically inactive, cells suffer insults during the freezing and thawing process. Among such insults, the generation of supra-physiological levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) could impair cellular functions and survival. Antioxidants are potential additives that were reported to partially or completely reverse freeze-thaw stress-associated impairments. This review aims to discuss the potential sources of cryopreservation-induced ROS and the effectiveness of antioxidant administration when used individually or in combination.
Edge Computing, IoT and Social Computing in Smart Energy Scenarios

The Internet of Things (IoT) has become one of the most widely research paradigms, having received much attention from the research community in the last few years. IoT is the paradigm that creates an internet-connected world, where all the everyday objects capture data from our environment and adapt it to our needs. However, the implementation of IoT is a challenging task and all the implementation scenarios require the use of different technologies and the emergence of new ones, such as Edge Computing (EC). EC allows for more secure and efficient data processing in real time, achieving better performance and results. Energy efficiency is one of the most interesting IoT scenarios. In this scenario sensors, actuators and smart devices interact to generate a large volume of data associated with energy consumption. This work proposes the use of an Edge-IoT platform and a Social Computing framework to build a system aimed to smart energy efficiency in a public building scenario. The system has been evaluated in a public building and the results make evident the notable benefits that come from applying Edge Computing to both energy efficiency scenarios and the framework itself. Those benefits included reduced data transfer from the IoT-Edge to the Cloud and reduced Cloud, computing and network resource costs.
The Use of Biochemical Measurements to Identify Pre-Slaughter Stress in Pasture Finished Beef Cattle

Simple Summary Producing a product that delivers a consistently high-quality eating experience is paramount to the Australian beef industry to ensure consumer satisfaction and return protein purchasing. The importance of minimising pre-slaughter stress in cattle for animal welfare and meat quality is well understood by the industry, however, there currently exists no objective measurement of detecting which cattle are at greatest risk of producing poor quality meat. A pre-slaughter measurement would enable the beef industry to detect at risk cattle and implement an intervention strategy prior to slaughter. Muscle damage enzyme creatine kinase was the plasma biomarker most correlated with meat quality and a two-week rest period prior to slaughter was beneficial for improving quality. Further research is required to determine the usefulness of creatine kinase as an objective measurement on a commercial scale and the cost benefit of a two-week rest period for the industry. Abstract This study considered the relationship between pre-slaughter stressors and plasma biomarkers in 488 pasture-raised cattle across two experiments. The design aimed to test groups consisting of steer only, heifer only, and mixed sex cattle under direct kill versus rested (14 days in abattoir holding paddocks) protocols. In Experiment One, cattle were sourced from four farms, and transported by trucks and ships on the same day. In Experiment Two, cattle were sourced from four farms where a comparison was made between marketing via two commercial saleyards or direct farm gate consignment to abattoir. Blood samples were collected at exsanguination for subsequent analyses and relation to meat quality attributes. Muscle damage, as indicated by creatine kinase, is the biomarker most correlated to ultimate pH and muscle glycogen concentrations. A two-week rest period is effective for lowering this enzyme and improving muscle glycogen concentration. Although the cattle was subjected to a range of stress inducing treatments, we found that plasma biomarkers alone appeared insufficient for use as diagnostic stress indicators.
Association Between Reduced Brain Glucose Metabolism and Cortical Thickness in Alcoholics: Evidence of Neurotoxicity.

BACKGROUND Excessive alcohol consumption is associated with reduced cortical thickness (CT) and lower cerebral metabolic rate of glucose (CMRGlu), but the correlation between these 2 measures has not been investigated. METHODS We tested the association between CT and cerebral CMRGlu in 19 participants with alcohol use disorder (AUD) and 20 healthy controls. Participants underwent 2-Deoxy-2-[18F]fluoroglucose positron emission tomography to map CMRGlu and magnetic resonance imaging to assess CT. RESULTS Although performance accuracy on a broad range of cognitive domains did not differ significantly between AUD and HC, AUD had widespread decreases in CT and CMRGlu. CMRGlu, normalized to cerebellum (rCMRGlu), showed significant correlation with CT across participants. Although there were large group differences in CMRGlu (>17%) and CT (>6%) in medial orbitofrontal and BA 47, the superior parietal cortex showed large reductions in CMRGlu (~17%) and minimal CT differences (~2.2%). Though total lifetime alcohol (TLA) was associated with CT and rCMRGlu, the causal mediation analysis revealed significant direct effects of TLA on rCMRGlu but not on CT, and there were no significant mediation effects of TLA, CT, and rCMRGlu. CONCLUSIONS The significant correlation between decrements in CT and CMRGlu across AUD participants is suggestive of alcohol-induced neurotoxicity, whereas the findings that the most metabolically affected regions in AUD had minimal atrophy and vice versa indicates that changes in CT and CMRGlu reflect distinct responses to alcohol across brain regions.
Food Neophobia in Celiac Disease and Other Gluten-Free Diet Individuals

The only treatment currently available to combat celiac disease (CD) is strict adherence to a gluten-free diet (GFD), but there may be various determinants of its adherence, including food neophobia (FN), that is associated with sensory aversions, or fears of negative consequences of eating specific food products, that may be crucial for CD patients following a GFD. The aim of the present study was to analyze food neophobia levels and its determinants in CD patients in comparison with other individuals who follow a GFD based on their own decision. The study was conducted in two independent groups of individuals following a GFD: those diagnosed with CD (n = 101) and those following a GFD based on their own decision (n = 124). Each group was recruited with cooperation from the local CD and GFD societies located in Poland. The FN was assessed using the Food Neophobia Scale (FNS) and compared between groups, as well as the influence of gender, age, body mass index, educational level, place of residence and employment status was assessed. It was stated, that for the individuals following a GFD, CD was the major determinant of FN. The FNS score values were higher (indicating higher food neophobia) for CD individuals (39.4 ± 9.2), than for those following a GFD based on their own decision (33.6 ± 8.7; p < 0.0001) and it was observed both for general group and for sub-groups stratified by assessed variables. Moreover, the indicated variables did not influence the FNS in any of the analyzed groups. The influence of CD with no influence of other variables was confirmed in the regression analysis. It may be concluded that CD is a major contributor to FN, which can be attributed to fear of developing adverse reactions to gluten-contaminated food products, which is more pronounced in CD patients compared to non-CD patients following a GFD based on their own decision.
The Essence of Systems Chemistry

Systems Chemistry investigates the upkeep of specific interactions of an exceptionally broad choice of objects over longer periods of time than the average time of existence of the objects themselves. This maintenance of a dynamic state focuses on conditions where the objects are thermodynamically not very stable and should be rare or virtually inexistent. It does not matter whether they are homochirally enriched populations of chiral molecules, a specific composition of some sort of aggregate, supramolecules, or even a set of chemically relatively unstable molecules that constantly transform one into another. What does matter is that these specific interactions prevail in complex mixtures and eventually grow in numbers and frequency through the enhancing action of autocatalysis, which makes such systems ultimately resemble living cells and interacting living populations. Such chemical systems need to be correctly understood, but also intuitively described. They may be so complex that metaphors become practically more important, as a means of communication, than the precise and correct technical description of chemical models and complex molecular or supramolecular relations. This puts systems chemists on a tightrope walk of science communication, between the complex reality and an imaginative model world. This essay addresses, both, scientists who would like to read “A Brief History of Systems Chemistry”, that is, about its “essence”, and systems chemists who work with and communicate complex life-like chemical systems. I illustrate for the external reader a light mantra, that I call “to make more of it”, and I charily draw systems chemists to reflect upon the fact that chemists are not always good at drawing a clear line between a model and “the reality”: The real thing. We are in a constant danger of taking metaphors for real. Yet in real life, we do know very well that we cannot smoke with Magritte’s pipe, don’t we?
A fine-tuning mechanism underlying self-control for autophagy: deSUMOylation of BECN1 by SENP3

ABSTRACT The roles of SUMOylation and the related enzymes in autophagic regulation are unclear. Based on our previous studies that identified the SUMO2/3-specific peptidase SENP3 as an oxidative stress-responsive molecule, we investigated the correlation between SUMOylation and macroautophagy/autophagy. We found that Senp3± mice showed increased autophagy in the liver under basal and fasting conditions, compared to Senp3+/+ mice. We constructed a liver-specific senp3 knockout mouse; these Senp3-deficient liver tissues showed increased autophagy as well. Autophagic flux was accelerated in hepatic and other cell lines following knockdown of SENP3, both before and after the cells underwent starvation in the form of the serum and amino acid deprivation. We demonstrated that BECN1/beclin 1, the core molecule of the BECN1-PIK3C3 complex, could be SUMO3-conjugated by PIAS3 predominantly at K380 and deSUMOylated by SENP3. The basal SUMOylation of BECN1 was increased upon cellular starvation, which enhanced autophagosome formation by facilitating BECN1 interaction with other complex components UVRAG, PIK3C3 and ATG14, thus promoting PIK3C3 activity. In contrast, SENP3 deSUMOylated BECN1, which impaired BECN1-PIK3C3 complex formation or stability to suppress the PIK3C3 activity. DeSUMOylation of BECN1 restrained autophagy induction under basal conditions and especially upon starvation when SENP3 had accumulated in response to the increased generation of reactive oxygen species. Thus, while reversible SUMOylation regulated the degree of autophagy, SENP3 provided an intrinsic overflow valve for fine-tuning autophagy induction. Abbreviations AL: autolysosome; AP: autophagosome; ATG: autophagy related; ATG14: autophagy related 14; BECN1: beclin 1, autophagy related; cKO: conditional knockout; co-IP: co-immunoprecipitation; CQ: chloroquine; EBSS: Earle’s balanced salt solution; GFP: green fluorescent protein; MAP1LC3/LC3: microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3; MTOR: mechanistic target of rapamycin kinase; NAC: N-acetyl-L-cysteine; PIK3C3: phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase catalytic subunit type 3; PTM: post-translational modification; RFP: red fluorescent protein; ROS: reactive oxygen species; RUBCN/rubicon: RUN domain and cysteine-rich domain containing, BECN1-interacting protein; SENP3: SUMO specific peptidase 3; shRNA: small hairpin RNA; siRNA: small interfering RNA; SQSTM1: sequestosome 1; SUMO: small ubiquitin-like modifier; UVRAG: UV radiation resistance associated gene.