Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Dystrophin deficiency affects human astrocyte properties and response to damage

In addition to progressive muscular degeneration due to dystrophin mutations, 1/3 of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) patients present cognitive deficits. However, there is currently an incomplete understanding about the function of the multiple dystrophin isoforms in human brains. Here, we tested the hypothesis that dystrophin deficiency affects glial function in DMD and could therefore contribute to neural impairment. We investigated human dystrophin isoform expression with development and differentiation and response to damage in human astrocytes from control and induced pluripotent stem cells from DMD patients. In control cells, short dystrophin isoforms were up‐regulated with development and their expression levels changed differently upon neuronal and astrocytic differentiation, as well as in 2‐dimensional versus 3‐dimensional astrocyte cultures. All DMD‐astrocytes tested displayed altered morphology, proliferative activity and AQP4 expression. Furthermore, they did not show any morphological change in response to inflammatory stimuli and their number was significantly lower as compared to stimulated healthy astrocytes. Finally, DMD‐astrocytes appeared to be more sensitive than controls to oxidative damage as shown by their increased cell death. Behavioral and metabolic defects in DMD‐astrocytes were consistent with gene pathway dysregulation shared by lines with different mutations as demonstrated by bulk RNA‐seq analysis. Together, our DMD model provides evidence for altered astrocyte function in DMD suggesting that defective astrocyte responses may contribute to neural impairment and might provide additional potential therapeutic targets.
Efficacy of medium cut‐off dialyzers and comparison with high‐flux dialyzers in patients on maintenance hemodialysis: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

Medium cut‐off (MCO) dialyzers were designed to provide better clearance of uremic toxins. We conducted a meta‐analysis comparing MCO with high‐flux (HF) dialyzers for the effect on uremic toxins in maintenance hemodialysis (HD) patients. Five databases were systematically searched for relevant studies and nine studies were identified finally. Reduction ratio (RR) of urea, urea, creatinine, β2‐macroglobulin (β2‐MG), kappa free light chain (κFLC), and lambda FLC (λFLC) levels were not significantly different between MCO and HF dialyzers. But RR of β2‐MG, κFLC, and λFLC were greater for MCO than HF dialyzers. MCO dialyzers could better reduce tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α) levels. Subgroup analysis stratified by study design indicated that in randomized controlled trial (RCT) studies, albumin levels was lower in MCO than HF dialyzers group, but the two dialyzers treatments were equivalent in non‐RCT subgroup. Compared with HF dialyzers, MCO dialyzers provided higher middle‐molecules uremic toxins clearance and obviously reduced TNF‐α levels.
Regional Targeting of Bladder and Urethra Afferents in the Lumbosacral Spinal Cord of Male and Female Rats: A Multiscale Analysis

Abstract Sensorimotor circuits of the lumbosacral spinal cord are required for lower urinary tract (LUT) regulation as well as being engaged in pelvic pain states. To date, no molecular markers have been identified to enable specific visualization of LUT afferents, which are embedded within spinal cord segments that also subserve somatic functions. Moreover, previous studies have not fully investigated the patterning within or across spinal segments, compared afferent innervation of the bladder and urethra, or explored possible structural sex differences in these pathways. We have addressed these questions in adult Sprague Dawley rats, using intramural microinjection of the tract tracer, B subunit of cholera toxin (CTB). Afferent distribution was analyzed within individual sections and 3D reconstructions from sections across four spinal cord segments (L5-S2), and in cleared intact spinal cord viewed with light sheet microscopy. Simultaneous mapping of preganglionic neurons showed their location throughout S1 but restricted to the caudal half of L6. Afferents from both LUT regions extended from L5 to S2, even where preganglionic motor pathways were absent. In L6 and S1, most afferents were associated with the sacral preganglionic nucleus (SPN) and sacral dorsal commissural nucleus (SDCom), with very few in the superficial laminae of the dorsal horn. Spinal innervation patterns by bladder and urethra afferents were remarkably similar, likewise the patterning in male and female rats. In conclusion, microscale to macroscale mapping has identified distinct features of LUT afferent projections to the lumbosacral cord and provided a new anatomic approach for future studies on plasticity, injury responses, and modeling of these pathways.
Monitoring defects in IC fabrication using a Hotelling T/sup 2/ control chart

Monitoring the wafer defects in integrated circuit (IC) fabrication is essential for enhancing wafer yield. However, significant defect clustering occurs when the wafer is large, so the conventional defect control chart, based on the Poisson distribution, is inappropriate. Defect clustering must also be analyzed to monitor effectively defects in IC fabrication process control. This study developed a novel procedure using the multivariate Hotelling T/sup 2/ control chart, based on the number of defects and the defect clustering index (CI) to monitor simultaneously the number of defects and the defect clusters. The CI does not require any statistical assumptions concerning the distribution of defects and can accurately evaluate the clustering phenomena. A case study of a Taiwanese IC manufacturer demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed procedure.
Physical exercise attenuates stress-induced hypertension in rats but not the impairments on the myocardial mechanics

Background: Acute and chronic stresses have become a health problem in the contemporary society, and prolonged exposure to stressful events are related to the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases. Physical exercise is a well-recognized effective nonpharmacological therapy for cardiovascular diseases and stress-induced injuries. Thus, this study evaluated the effect of exercise on the cardiac remodelling of chronically stressed rats. Methods and results: Wistar adult rats were used (n = 10 each group) and chronic stress protocol consisted of restricting movement in individual rodent restrainers (60 min, 5 days/week, 12 weeks); and exercise consisted of swimming sessions in a pool (60 min, 5 days/week, 12 weeks). During protocol, blood pressure was measured in conscious rats, and at the end cardiac morphology/function was assessed. Animals exposed to stress exhibited continuous rise in blood pressure from the sixth week, but exercise attenuated it. Similarly, restrained rats increased serum corticosterone compared with nonstressed rats, but exercise also prevented it. No changes were found in cardiac mass, but chronic stress not only impaired the steady state contractions of the cardiac muscle, but also reduced inotropic responses to stretching, increasing calcium and beta-adrenergic receptor stimulation. Despite this, exercise was unable to prevent these functional impairments induced by stress, and instead, the association of stress and physical exercise worsened myocardial compliance. Conclusion: Despite the known benefits to the cardiovascular system, our results indicate that aerobic swimming exercise for 12 weeks reduced blood pressure but did not impede the chronic stress-induced myocardial damages in rats.
Fabrication of 3D comb drive microscanners by mechanically induced permanent displacement

A technology approach is presented which enables an initial permanent counter electrode deflection of planar out of plane comb drive actuators allowing quasistatic operation of an electrostatic microscanner. The device is assembled by mounting a top wafer with salient stamps onto a mirror wafer. The commonly fix in plane counter electrode parts on the mirror wafer are connected to deflectable platforms via a mechanical structure of coupled hinges. During the wafers assembly the down pressing stamps displace the platforms and result in a predefined permanent out of plane counter comb deflection.
High vagal tone predicts pulmonary vein reconnection after cryoballoon ablation for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation

Pulmonary vein (PV) isolation is an established treatment for paroxysmal drug‐refractory atrial fibrillation (AF). High parasympathetic tone and reconnection of PVs have demonstrated to be possible culprits of AF recurrence after ablation. Our aim was to investigate the association between parasympathetic tone and reconnected PVs in patients with paroxysmal AF.
Coherent heterodyne frequency-selective polarimeter for error signal generation in higher-order PMD compensators

We proposed and demonstrated a coherent heterodyne receiver architecture that can frequency-resolve the Stokes parameters of a modulated signal. We also studied the feasibility of generation of an error signal based on the Stokes parameters variance. We presented experimental results for a 10 Gb/s NRZ signal with first-order polarisation mode dispersion (PMD) and theoretical results for a 40 Gb/s RZ signal with higher-order PMD.
Efficacy of rifaximin in treating with small intestine bacterial overgrowth: a systematic review and meta-analysis

ABSTRACT Objectives Over the past decades, rifaximin has been used to treat with small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), however, the true efficacy remains unknown. This systematic review and meta-analysis was performed to assess the safety and efficacy of rifaximin in treating with patients with SIBO. Methods Embase, Pubmed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Web of Science were searched from inception to April, 2021 for published randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies with or without comparable arms. Results A total of 21 observational studies and 5 RCTs involving 874 patients were included. The overall eradication rate according to intention-to-treat analysis (ITT) was 59% (95% CI: 50 to 69%; I2 = 90.69%) and to per protocol analysis (PP) 63% (95% CI: 53 to 72%; I2 = 90.32%). For 5 RCTs included comparing the efficacy between rifaximin and placebo or active controls, there was no significant difference (n = 203, risk ratio = 1.14, 95%CI: 0.59 to 2.19, P = 0.15, I2 = 38%). Subgroup analysis and meta-regression indicated a dose-dependent eradication rate of rifaximin for SIBO. Conclusion Rifaximin is effective and safe in eradicating SIBO, with a dose-dependent efficacy and commonly associated with the improvement of the gastrointestinal symptoms and underlying diseases.
Evolutionary innovations through gain and loss of genes in the ectomycorrhizal Boletales

In this study, we aim to identify genomic traits of the transitions to the ectomycorrhizal ecology within the Boletales, one of the most diverse lineages of symbiotrophic fungi. We sequenced the genomes and compared the gene repertoires of symbiotrophic Boletales species to their saprotrophic brown-rot relatives. We also reconstructed gene duplication/loss histories along a time-calibrated phylogeny. We showed that the rate of gene duplication is constant along the backbone of Boletales phylogeny with large loss events in lineages leading to several families. The rate of gene family expansion sharply increased in the late Miocene and mostly took place in Boletaceae. Most of the ectomycorrhizal Boletales are characterized by a large genome size due to transposable element (TE) expansions and a reduction in the diversity of plant cell wall degrading enzymes (PCWDEs) compared to their brown-rot relatives. However, several species in the Boletaceae, Paxillaceae and Boletinellaceae have kept a substantial set of endoglucanases and LPMOs acting on cellulose/hemicellulose and fungal polysaccharides suggesting that they may partly decompose organic matter by a combined activity of oxidative and hydrolytic enzymes. The present study provides novel insights on our understanding of the mechanisms that influence the evolutionary diversification of boletes and symbiosis evolution.
Homozygosity of the Z‐2 polymorphic variant in the aldose reductase gene promoter confers increased risk for neuropathy in children and adolescents with Type 1 diabetes

Diabetic neuropathy (DN) is the least recognized complication of diabetes mellitus and may start early in the course of the disease. Aldose reductase (AKR1B1) gene promoter Z‐2/Z‐2 polymorphism increases the expression of AKR1B1 enzyme and may contribute to DN.
The effects of acupuncture and related techniques on patients with rheumatoid arthritis: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: One new type of acupuncture and related techniques (ACNRT) is increasingly used by rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients to control their disease and improve their quality of life. However, the efficacy of using ACNRT in combination with western medicine (WM) for this purpose remains unknown. Methods: Randomized controlled trials of ACNRT and WM treatments for RA from January 1, 2000, to January 31, 2021, were searched for in the databases PubMed, Embase, Medline, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, as well as in three Chinese databases: China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Data, and Airiti Library. The primary outcomes consisted of inflammatory markers including C reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and rheumatoid factor. The secondary outcomes were clinical characteristics including pain visual analog scale (VAS) score, Disease Activity Score (DAS-28), swollen joints count (SJC), tender joints count (TJC), morning stiffness, and the results of a health assessment questionnaire. The three types of ACNRT used in the focal trials were acupuncture, moxibustion, and electro-acupuncture. Two qualified researchers extracted data from these trials’ results and independently assessed their risk of bias. Statistical analyses were performed using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis V3 software. Results: A total of 12 RCTs with 874 patients met the inclusion criteria. As compared with the patients who received WM treatment alone, those who were given integrated ACNRT/WM treatment showed greater reductions in CRP (weighted mean difference [WMD]: −6.299; 95% CI: −9.082 to −3.517), ESR (WMD: −6.563; 95% CI: −8.604 to -4.522), VAS (WMD: −1.089; 95% CI: −1.575 to −0.602), DAS-28 (WMD: −0.633; 95% CI: −1.006 to −0.259), SJC (WMD: −1.921; 95% CI: −3.635 to −0.207), and TJC (WMD: −1.491; 95% CI: −2.941 to −0.042). Conclusion: This meta-analysis of RA provides reliable evidence in favor of ACNRT plus WM. However, longer term, high-quality, repeatable, multicenter randomized controlled trials with larger sample sizes are needed.
A novel butterfly‐shaped multilayer backward microstrip hybrid coupler for ultrawideband applications

In this letter, the numerical analysis and design of aperture‐coupled backward microstrip hybrid coupler for ultrawideband (UWB) multilayer microwave circuits are introduced. The proposed coupler is composed of two microstrip patches located on two stacked substrate layers. This coupler uses a broadside coupling via a rectangular‐shaped slot in the common ground plane (mid‐layer). To achieve broadband characteristics for UWB operation, butterfly‐shaped patches are used. The numerically simulated results using two simulation programs with two different numerical techniques show that the proposed coupler have good insertion losses (both through S21 and coupled S31) variation (less than ±2 dB) and high return loss S11 (greater than 14 dB) with acceptable isolation S41 (about 14 dB) over most of the 3.1–10.6‐GHz frequency band. A 3dB/90°‐backward hybrid coupler prototype is fabricated and then tested experimentally using Agilent E8364B PNA Network Analyzer. Experimental results agree well with the simulated ones. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 54:2231–2237, 2012; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/mop.27092
Striatal dopaminergic neurons as a potential target for GDNF based ischemic stroke therapy

Background/aim Glial cell-line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) is a well-known regulatory neurotrophic factor on dopaminergic neurons. Several pathologies have been documented so far in case of any impairment in the dopaminergic system. This study aimed to investigate the potential protective role of lentiviral GNDF delivery on the small population of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) positive dopamine producing striatal neurons after ischemic stroke. Materials and methods Fourteen C57BL/6J male mice (8–10 weeks) were intracerebrally treated with lentiviral GDNF (Lv-GDNF) or vehicle. Ten days after injections, cerebral ischemia was induced by blockage of the middle cerebral artery. Animals were terminated 72 h after ischemia, and their brains were taken for histological and molecular investigations. Following confirmation of GDNF overexpression, TH immunostaining and immunoblotting were used to evaluate the role of GDNF on dopaminergic neurons. Next, Fluro Jade C staining was implemented to examine the degree of neuronal degeneration at the damaged parenchyma. Results Neither the amount of TH positive dopaminergic neurons nor the expression of TH changed in the Lv-GDNF treated animals comparing to the vehicle group. On the other hand, GDNF exposure caused a significant increase in the expression of Nurr1, an essential transcription factor for dopaminergic neurons and Gap43, growth and plasticity promoting protein, in the ischemic striatum. Treatment with Lv-GDNF gave rise to a significant reduction in the number of degenerated neurons. Finally, enhanced GDNF expression also induced expression of an important stress-related transcription factor NF-κB as well as the nitric oxide synthase enzymes iNOS and nNOS in the contralesional hemisphere. Conclusion Considering these results together, GDNF’s impact on the survival of striatal dopaminergic neurons is not outstanding for its neuroprotective role. However, it seems that GDNF conducts several signaling pathways by acting on key transcription factors and shows its protective feature by fine-tuning the degeneration-related processes.
CBR-Based Cutting Parameter Selection System and Searching Algorithm for Metal Machining Operations

At present, most factories choose cutting parameters only depending on experience or handbooks in production. To improve the intelligent level of cutting parameter selection, Case-Based Reasoning (CBR) is used to search rational cutting parameters. The structure of a CBR-based cutting parameter selection system is presented and its functional modules are discussed. CBR-based cutting parameter selection system is mainly composed of case base management system, cutting parameter database management system, application, interface, etc. A complete case is composed of four parts, i.e., objectives, initial conditions, constraints and results. The system adopts hierarchical searching method in combination with nearest neighbor method. It provides a scientific approach for selecting cutting parameters in actual production.
Drifting assemblies for persistent memory: Neuron transitions and unsupervised compensation

Significance Associative memories are thought to be represented by neuronal assemblies, ensembles of nerve cells with strong synaptic interconnectivity. Experiments have, however, shown that synapses can change spontaneously. Motivated by this and by experimentally observed changes of representations, we propose that assemblies that drift freely in the brain, due to noisy network activity and spontaneous synaptic changes, are the basis of associative memory. How can memories and behaviors persist despite these changes? We find that simple, teacher-free synaptic plasticity compensates the drift and thereby solves the conundrum. When such plasticity is incorporated, networks with drifting assemblies can maintain stable memories and basic computations. The mechanisms underlying drift and compensation may apply to different kinds of drifting neural representations. Change is ubiquitous in living beings. In particular, the connectome and neural representations can change. Nevertheless, behaviors and memories often persist over long times. In a standard model, associative memories are represented by assemblies of strongly interconnected neurons. For faithful storage these assemblies are assumed to consist of the same neurons over time. Here we propose a contrasting memory model with complete temporal remodeling of assemblies, based on experimentally observed changes of synapses and neural representations. The assemblies drift freely as noisy autonomous network activity and spontaneous synaptic turnover induce neuron exchange. The gradual exchange allows activity-dependent and homeostatic plasticity to conserve the representational structure and keep inputs, outputs, and assemblies consistent. This leads to persistent memory. Our findings explain recent experimental results on temporal evolution of fear memory representations and suggest that memory systems need to be understood in their completeness as individual parts may constantly change.
Novel device for quick measurement of glucose in POCT areas without pre‐analytical steps based on a multi‐way glucose biosensor

Professional Point of Care testing demands rapid analysis and professional quality. To assure rapid analysis of high quality the analytical tool ideally should be able to work without sample pre‐treatment and should offer the opportunity to calibrate and/or control the analytical performance of the tool. In contrast to an enormous number of different disposable‐strips used for patient self monitoring today and based on an extended knowledge with respect to multi‐way biosensors used in laboratory analyzers we decided to develop a professional Point of Care Testing system for glucose analysis based on a multi‐way biosensor. The multi‐way glucose biosensor placed in the instrument for 30 days did reduce the lag time between blood withdrawal and availability of a result of lab quality in a bedside area to about 10 seconds. No pre‐analytical steps are necessary for measuring capillary whole blood, no crossing over was observed, and the data could be transferred into a laboratory information system or a hospital information system. Thus, we were able to realize tools for professional health control able to measure glucose values in laboratory quality at places outside laboratories: e.g., in doctor's offices, hospital wards, critical care units, and training units of athletes. By combining the advantages of laboratory analyzers (high quality and low sample price) and the advantages of disposable strips (simple procedure and immediate results after sample withdrawal) with the Glukometer 3000 and LactatProfi 3000 we did start to fill the gap between the two basic technologies available on the market for diagnosis today. Glukometer 3000 and LactatProfi 3000 are worldwide the first and only mobile glucose and lactate measuring instruments for decentralized locations based on multi‐way biosensors.