Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Infectious origin of Alzheimer’s disease: Amyloid beta as a component of brain antimicrobial immunity

The amyloid cascade hypothesis, focusing on pathological proteins aggregation, has so far failed to uncover the root cause of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), or to provide an effective therapy. This traditional paradigm essentially explains a mechanism involved in the development of sporadic AD rather than its cause. The failure of an overwhelming majority of clinical studies (99.6%) demonstrates that a breakthrough in therapy would be difficult if not impossible without understanding the etiology of AD. It becomes more and more apparent that the AD pathology might originate from brain infection. In this review, we discuss a potential role of bacteria, viruses, fungi, and eukaryotic parasites as triggers of AD pathology. We show evidence from the current literature that amyloid beta, traditionally viewed as pathological, actually acts as an antimicrobial peptide, protecting the brain against pathogens. However, in case of a prolonged or excessive activation of a senescent immune system, amyloid beta accumulation and aggregation becomes damaging and supports runaway neurodegenerative processes in AD. This is paralleled by the recent study by Alam and colleagues (2022) who showed that alpha-synuclein, the protein accumulating in synucleinopathies, also plays a critical physiological role in immune reactions and inflammation, showing an unforeseen link between the 2 unrelated classes of neurodegenerative disorders. The multiplication of the amyloid precursor protein gene, recently described by Lee and collegues (2018), and possible reactivation of human endogenous retroviruses by pathogens fits well into the same picture. We discuss these new findings from the viewpoint of the infection hypothesis of AD and offer suggestions for future research.
Back pain as an initial feature of advanced gastric cancer mimicking multiple myeloma: A case report and literature review

Background: Back pain is a rare initial presentation of gastric cancer. Isolated back pain with red flags in middle-aged patients might indicate multiple myeloma. However, it is rarely present in advanced gastric adenocarcinoma; hence, data are limited to case reports only. For a timely diagnosis of the underlying malignancy, endoscopy should be considered if the initial workup for this backache is unrevealing. Case Presentation: We present a 34-year-old previously healthy gentleman with severe unremitting backache. He was ultimately diagnosed with gastric adenocarcinoma stage IV and received palliative treatment. The manuscript also reviewed relevant literature. Conclusion: In rare cases, gastric malignancy can initially present as back pain with lytic bone lesions, mimicking multiple myeloma. Endoscopy early in the course of investigations may help reduce associated morbidities. Further, more extensive studies are required to understand better the clinical characteristics, demographics, and management of such patients.
Effects of Tai Chi and Qigong on the mobility of stroke survivors: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials

Background Stroke survivors often experience impaired mobility and physical functions. Tai Chi and Qigong have been shown to have physical and psychological benefits for stroke patients. Purpose To summarize the evidence on Tai Chi and Qigong for improving mobility in stroke survivors, specifically the ability to walk, dynamic balance, and activities of daily living (ADL). Methods Independent searches of 16 electronic databases in English, Korean, and Chinese from their inception until December 2021 were conducted by two research teams. Methodological quality was assessed using Cochrane’s risk of bias tool 2.0. Comprehensive Meta-Analysis 3.0 software was used to calculate effect sizes with subgroup analysis and to assess heterogeneity and publication bias. Results The meta-analysis included 27 randomized trials (18 with Tai Chi and 9 with Qigong) on stroke survivors (N = 1,919). None of the studies were considered at high risk of bias, about 70% had some concerns, and 30% were considered low risk. Meta-analysis of 27 randomized controlled trials with random-effects models indicated that Tai Chi and Qigong effectively improved mobility, specifically on the ability to walk (Hedges’g = 0.81), dynamic balance (Hedges’g = 1.04), and ADL (Hedges’g = 0.43). The effects of Tai Chi and Qigong were significant for short-term and long-term programs (Hedges’g 0.91 vs. 0.75), and when compared with active controls and no treatment group (Hedges’g 0.81 vs. 0.73). Conclusion Tai Chi and Qigong performed for 12 weeks or less were effective in improving the mobility of stroke survivors. Further studies are warranted to assess whether Tai Chi and Qigong work best as an adjunct to rehabilitation, an effective alternative to rehabilitation or as a maintenance strategy, and whether the results could be further optimized by assessing different schools of Tai Chi and Qigong, different types of stroke patients, and different points in the post-stroke recovery process. PROSPERO registration number This study has been registered on the UK National Institute for Health Research (http://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO) PROSPERO registration number: CRD42020220277.
The hidden cost of a smartphone: The effects of smartphone notifications on cognitive control from a behavioral and electrophysiological perspective

Since their release in 2007, smartphones and their use have seemingly become a fundamental aspect of life in western society. Prior literature has suggested a link between mobile technology use and lower levels of cognitive control when people engage in a cognitively demanding task. This effect is more evident for people who report higher levels of smartphone use. The current study examined the effects of smartphones notifications on cognitive control and attention. Participants completed the Navon Letter paradigm which paired visual (frequent and rare target letters) and auditory (smartphone and control sounds) stimuli. We found that overall, participants responded slower on trials paired with smartphone notification (vs. control) sounds. They also demonstrated larger overall N2 ERP and a larger N2 oddball effect on trials paired with smartphone (vs. control) sounds, suggesting that people generally exhibited greater levels of cognitive control on the smartphone trials. In addition, people with higher smartphone addiction proneness showed lower P2 ERP on trials with the smartphone (vs. control) sounds, suggesting lower attentional engagement. These results add to the debate on the effects of smartphones on cognition. Limitations and future directions are discussed.
Dissociable effects of emotional stimuli on electrophysiological indices of time and decision-making

Previous research has demonstrated that emotional faces affect time perception, however, the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. Earlier attempts focus on effects at the different stages of the pacemaker-accumulator model (clock, memory, and/or decision-making) including, an increase in pacemaker rate or accumulation rate via arousal or attention, respectively, or by biasing decision-making. A visual temporal bisection task with sub-second intervals was conducted in two groups to further investigate these effects; one group was strictly behavioral whereas the second included a 64-channel electroencephalogram (EEG). To separate the influence of face and timing responses, participants timed a visual stimulus, temporally flanked (before and after) by two faces, either negative or neutral, creating three trial-types: Neg→Neut, Neut→Neg, or Neut→Neut. We found a leftward shift in bisection point (BP) in Neg→Neut relative to Neut→Neut suggests an overestimation of the temporal stimulus when preceded by a negative face. Neurally, we found the face-responsive N170 was larger for negative faces and the N1 and contingent negative variation (CNV) were larger when the temporal stimulus was preceded by a negative face. Additionally, there was an interaction effect between condition and response for the late positive component of timing (LPCt) and a significant difference between response (short/long) in the neutral condition. We concluded that a preceding negative face affects the clock stage leading to more pulses being accumulated, either through attention or arousal, as indexed by a larger N1, CNV, and N170; whereas viewing a negative face after impacted decision-making mechanisms, as evidenced by the LPCt.
Deep LOFAR 150 MHz imaging of the Boötes field: Unveiling the faint low-frequency sky

We have conducted a deep survey (with a central rms of 55 μJy) with the LOw Frequency ARray (LOFAR) at 120–168 MHz of the Boötes field, with an angular resolution of 3.98″ × 6.45″, and obtained a sample of 10 091 radio sources (5σ limit) over an area of 20 deg2. The astrometry and flux scale accuracy of our source catalog is investigated. The resolution bias, incompleteness and other systematic effects that could affect our source counts are discussed and accounted for. The derived 150 MHz source counts present a flattening below sub-mJy flux densities, that is in agreement with previous results from high- and low- frequency surveys. This flattening has been argued to be due to an increasing contribution of star-forming galaxies and faint active galactic nuclei. Additionally, we use our observations to evaluate the contribution of cosmic variance to the scatter in source counts measurements. The latter is achieved by dividing our Boötes mosaic into 10 non-overlapping circular sectors, each one with an approximate area of 2 deg2. The counts in each sector are computed in the same way as done for the entire mosaic. By comparing the induced scatter with that of counts obtained from depth observations scaled to 150 MHz, we find that the 1σ scatter due to cosmic variance is larger than the Poissonian errors of the source counts, and it may explain the dispersion from previously reported depth source counts at flux densities S < 1 mJy. This work demonstrates the feasibility of achieving deep radio imaging at low-frequencies with LOFAR.
Resolution-enhanced entanglement detection

We formulate a general family of entanglement criteria for multipartite systems. Fisher information criteria compare the sensitivity to unitary rotations with the variances of suitable local observables. Generalized squeezing-type criteria provide lower bounds that are less stringent but only require measurements of second moments. The enhancement due to local access to the individual subsystems is studied in detail for the case of $N$ spin-$1/2$ particles. The discussed techniques can be readily implemented in current experiments with trapped ions in Paul traps and neutral atoms in optical lattices.
Spin wave damping in periodic and quasiperiodic magnonic structures

We investigated the lifetime of spin wave (SW) eigenmodes in periodic and quasiperiodic sequences of Py and Co wires. These materials differ significantly in damping coefficients, therefore, the spatial distribution of the mode’s amplitude within the structure is important for the lifetime of collective SW excitations. Modes of the lower frequencies prefer to concentrate in Py wires, because of the lower ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) frequency for this material. This inhomogeneous distribution of amplitude of modes (with lower amplitude in material of higher damping and with higher amplitude in material of lower damping) is preferable for extending the lifetime of the collective excitations beyond the volume average of lifetimes for solid materials. We established the relation between the profile of the mode and its lifetime for periodic and quasiperiodic structures. We also performed comparative studies in order to find the differences resulting from complexity of the structure and enhancement of localization in the quasiperiodic system on the lifetime of SWs.
Gate-controllable spin battery

We propose a gate-controllable spin-battery for spin current. The spin battery consists of a lateral double quantum dot under a uniform magnetic field. A finite dc spin current is driven out of the device by controlling a set of gate voltages. Spin current can also be delivered in the absence of charge current. The proposed device should be realizable using present technology at low temperature.
Infrared Echo and Late-stage Rebrightening of Nuclear Transient Ps1-10adi: Exploring the Torus with Tidal Disruption Events in Active Galactic Nuclei

Tidal disruption events (TDEs) in active galactic nuclei (AGNs) have been overlooked for a long time but have recently been tentatively investigated. We report the discovery of a long-lasting, luminous mid-infrared (mid-IR) flare in PS1-10adi, which is a newly identified and highly energetic transient event occurring in an AGN. The IR luminosity of PS1-10adi, as well as other analogous events, is at least one order of magnitude higher than that of all known supernova, but can be well interpreted as the dust echoes of TDEs, whose ultrahigh IR energy is reprocessed from the dusty torus around the black hole. The torus dust is sublimating during the early stage of the outburst and probably leads to the observed rapid emergence of Fe ii lines. Moreover, the UV-optical rebrightening and contemporaneous X-ray onset after ∼1500 rest-frame days since the optical peak are also an intriguing feature of PS1-10adi that can be attributed to the interaction between the high-velocity outflow and the torus. We suggest that the luminous IR echo is a very typical phenomenon of TDEs in AGNs and may provide us an ideal opportunity to explore the torus properties.
Clinical efficacy of magnetotherapy combined with pediatric massage on infantile colic.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the short-term and long-term efficacy of magnetotherapy and pediatric massage in the treatment of infantile colic. METHODS A total of 120 neonates with sudden onset crying, bloating, and breast refusal who met the diagnostic criteria for colic were retrospectively enrolled from September 2019 to September 2021. They were divided into a combination group, a magnetotherapy group, a pediatric massage group, and a control group based on different treatment methods (n=30 in each group). All cases were provided with conventional nursing. RESULTS The short-term efficacy of the combination group was significantly better than that of the control group. The difference was not statistically significant among combination, magnetotherapy, and pediatric massage groups (P>0.05). In the long-term efficacy assessment, the total effective rate was 96.67% in the combination group, 93.33% in the magnetotherapy group, 86.67% in the pediatric massage group, and 93.33% in the control group. There was no significant difference among the groups (P>0.05). Neonates in the combination group had the shortest crying relief time and the longest sleep duration after relief. This was followed by the magnetotherapy and the pediatric massage groups (P<0.05). Neonates in the control group had longer crying relief time and shorter sleep duration after relief than those in the combination group (P<0.05). From day 2 to day 7 of intervention, the pain level of the combination group was decreased significantly. This was significantly lower than that of the control group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION Magnetotherapy combined with pediatric massage can improve neonatal colic, relieve crying and pain symptoms, and improve sleep quality.
Asthma-related lung function and physical activity patterns among children living in urban neighborhoods

Abstract Objective Black and Latino American children residing in urban environments are at increased risk for comorbid asthma and obesity. Physical activity (PA) is a modifiable behavior known to contribute to the asthma-obesity phenotype. While research has indicated links between optimal asthma status and high PA among children, little is documented about whether this group may display other asthma and PA patterns that warrant clinical attention and tailored interventions. Methods Children with persistent asthma (N = 97) ages 7–9 and their caregivers from urban neighborhoods completed daily measures of asthma status and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and questionnaires about health and sociodemographic characteristics. Clinical asthma guidelines (e.g. FEV1 ≥ 80%) and sample means were used to categorize children into high or low lung function and MVPA patterns. Individual, family, and contextual differences across lung function and MVPA patterns were investigated. Results Twenty-nine percent of participants displayed optimal lung function and high MVPA. The remainder of the sample exhibited various less optimal patterns (e.g. poorer lung function and high MVPA). Caregivers of children displaying poorer lung function and high MVPA levels were more likely to report asthma related fears than caregivers of children with low MVPA levels regardless of lung function status. Conclusions Asthma and PA interventions can be tailored to better address each child’s unique clinical and behavioral patterns. An enhanced understanding of risk factors for suboptimal patterns of asthma status and PA may aid in multicomponent intervention efforts.
Interference and entanglement: An intrinsic approach

An addition rule of impure density operators, which provides a pure state density operator, is formulated. Quantum interference including a visibility property is discussed in the context of the density operator formalism. A measure of entanglement is then introduced as the norm of the matrix equal to the difference between a bipartite density matrix and the tensor product of partial traces. Entanglement for arbitrary quantum observables for multipartite systems is discussed. Star-product kernels are used to map the formulation of the addition rule of density operators onto the addition rule of symbols of the operators. Entanglement and nonlocalization of the pure state projector and allied operators are discussed. Tomographic and Weyl symbols (tomograms and Wigner functions) are considered as examples. The squeezed states and some spin states (two qubits) are studied to illustrate the formalism.
Positive correlation between VCA-IgM and Th1/Th2 immunocytokines in children with infectious mononucleosis.

OBJECTIVE To analyze the correlation between immunoglobulin M (IgM) against viral capsid antigen (VCA) of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and T helper 1 and 2 (Th1/Th2) immunocytokines (ICKs) in children with infectious mononucleosis (IM). METHODS This is a retrospective study. A total of 40 children with IM treated in our hospital from August 2019 to August 2021 were included in the research group, and another 42 children with upper respiratory tract infection treated during the same period were selected as the control group. The VCA-IgM positive (+) rate and Th1/Th2 ICKs in two groups were detected, and the correlation of VCA-IgM with Th1/Th2 ICKs in IM patients was analyzed. RESULTS The research group was found to have an evidently higher VCA-IgM+ rate than the control group. Moreover, the accuracy of VCA-IgM in detecting IM was as high as 91.46%. In addition, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interferon-γ (IFN-γ), interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-10 presented markedly elevated levels in the research group than in the control group, and in VCA-IgM negative (-) patients compared with VCA-IgM+ patients. There was a positive connection between VCA-IgM and Th1/Th2 ICKs. CONCLUSIONS IM children showed high VCA-IgM+ rate and imbalance of Th1/Th2 ICKs, and their VCA-IgM and Th1/Th2 ICKs are positively correlated. In addition, VCA-IgM has certain diagnostic value for IM.
UTRdb 2.0: a comprehensive, expert curated catalog of eukaryotic mRNAs untranslated regions

Abstract The 5′ and 3′ untranslated regions of eukaryotic mRNAs (UTRs) play crucial roles in the post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression through the modulation of nucleo-cytoplasmic mRNA transport, translation efficiency, subcellular localization, and message stability. Since 1996, we have developed and maintained UTRdb, a specialized database of UTR sequences. Here we present UTRdb 2.0, a major update of UTRdb featuring an extensive collection of eukaryotic 5′ and 3′ UTR sequences, including over 26 million entries from over 6 million genes and 573 species, enriched with a curated set of functional annotations. Annotations include CAGE tags and polyA signals to label the completeness of 5′ and 3′UTRs, respectively. In addition, uORFs and IRES are annotated in 5′UTRs as well as experimentally validated miRNA targets in 3′UTRs. Further annotations include evolutionarily conserved blocks, Rfam motifs, ADAR-mediated RNA editing events, and m6A modifications. A web interface allowing a flexible selection and retrieval of specific subsets of UTRs, selected according to a combination of criteria, has been implemented which also provides comprehensive download facilities. UTRdb 2.0 is accessible at http://utrdb.cloud. ba.infn. it/utrdb/
ROTATING BLACK HOLES IN METRIC-AFFINE GRAVITY

Within the framework of metric-affine gravity (MAG, metric and an independent linear connection constitute space–time), we find, for a specific gravitational Lagrangian and by using prolongation techniques, a stationary axially symmetric exact solution of the vacuum field equations. This black hole solution embodies a Kerr–de Sitter metric and the post-Riemannian structures of torsion and nonmetricity. The solution is characterized by mass, angular momentum, and shear charge, the latter of which is a measure for violating Lorentz invariance.
Effect of comprehensive nursing intervention in children with respiratory failure.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the effect of comprehensive nursing intervention in the management of pediatric patients with respiratory failure. METHODS A total of 60 pediatric patients were selected as research subjects, and the clinical data were collected and retrospectively investigated. The patients were divided either into a control group (n=30) or an observation group (n=30) according to the nursing care methods. Pediatric patients from the observation group underwent comprehensive nursing intervention, while those in the control group received conventional nursing care intervention. The clinical effects, negative emotions, SF-36 scores, hospital stays, clinical symptom indicators, blood gas indices, lung function indicators and the nursing satisfaction rates were compared between the two groups. RESULTS The clinical effect in the observation group was significantly better than that in the control group. Compared with those in the control group, significantly lower scores of the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale and the Self-Rating Depression Scale were observed in the observation group. The indicators associated with blood gas and lung function in the observation group were significantly improved in contrast to those in the control group. Moreover, the disappearance time of pulmonary rales, disappearance time of cyanochroia, alleviation time of dyspnea and hospital stays in the observation group were significantly shorter than those in the control group, while the SF-36 scores and the nursing satisfaction rate in the observation group were significantly higher than those in the control group (all P<0.05). CONCLUSION Comprehensive nursing intervention significantly improved clinical treatment effects and patient satisfaction, alleviated the clinical symptoms, increased life quality and shortened hospital stay. So, it is worth being promoted in clinical practice.