Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Development of a real‐time PCR assay for detection and differentiation of Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae and a novel respiratory‐associated Mycoplasma species in domestic sheep and goats

Abstract A novel respiratory‐associated Mycoplasma species (M. sp. nov.) of unknown clinical significance was recently identified that causes false positive results with multiple published PCR methods reported to specifically detect Mycoplasma ovipneumonaie, a well‐known respiratory pathogen in small ruminants. This necessitates our objective to develop a real‐time PCR (qPCR) assay for improved specificity and sensitivity, and more rapid detection and differentiation of M. ovipneumoniae and the M. sp. nov. in domestic sheep (DS) and domestic goat (DG) samples, as compared to a conventional PCR and sequencing (cPCR‐seq) assay. Primers and probes were designed based on available M. ovipneumoniae 16S rRNA gene sequences in the GenBank database, and partial 16S rRNA gene sequences provided by the United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service (USDA‐ARS) for M. ovipneumoniae and M. sp. nov. USDA‐ARS provided DS (n = 153) and DG (n = 194) nasal swab nucleic acid that previously tested positive for either M. ovipneumoniae (n = 117) or M. sp. nov. (n = 138), or negative for both targets (n = 92) by cPCR‐seq. A host 18S rRNA gene was included as an internal control to monitor for the failure of nucleic acid extraction and possible PCR inhibition. For samples positive by cPCR‐seq, qPCR agreement was 88.0% (103/117; κ = 0.81) and 89.9% (124/138; κ = 0.84) for M. ovipneumoniae and M. sp. nov., respectively; 12 of 255 (4.7%) cPCR‐seq positive samples were qPCR positive for both targets. Of samples negative by cPCR for both mycoplasmas, qPCR detected M. ovipneumoniae and M. sp. nov. in 6.5% (6/92) and 4.3% (4/92), respectively. Samples with discordant results between the cPCR and sequencing assay and the new qPCR were analyzed by target sequencing; successfully sequenced samples had identity matches that confirmed the qPCR result. The increased target specificity of this qPCR is predicted to increase testing accuracy as compared to other published assays.
The use of the cambridge neuropsychological test automated battery for people born with Down syndrome and those born premature: A comparative systematic review

This review aimed to investigate the use of the Cambridge Neuropsychological Automated Testing Battery (CANTAB) for people at risk of cognitive impairment, especially those born with Down syndrome and those born preterm. Six databases were searched according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) standards, in addition to the bibliography index listed in the CANTAB site. Twenty four studies regarding Down syndrome and 17 regarding prematurity were reviewed and are here described. Both cognitive profiles were described, and their performance was compared on specific tasks and CANTAB tests. In this battery of tests, people with Down syndrome usually present impaired key cognitive domains, such as episodic memory and recognition memory. Results were presented considering general aspects described in the studies, specific findings such as dementia, the role of genetics, and cognitive profile, among other descriptions. Comparability between both populations in future studies is discussed.
Intranasal Delivery of Functionalized Polymeric Nanomaterials to the Brain

Intravenous delivery of nanomaterials containing therapeutic agents and various cargos for treating neurological disorders is often constrained by low delivery efficacy due to difficulties in passing the blood‐brain barrier (BBB). Nanoparticles (NPs) administered intranasally can move along olfactory and trigeminal nerves so that they do not need to pass through the BBB, allowing non‐invasive, direct access to selective neural pathways within the brain. Hence, intranasal (IN) administration of NPs can effectively deliver drugs and genes into targeted regions of the brain, holding potential for efficacious disease treatment in the central nervous system (CNS). In this review, current methods for delivering conjugated NPs to the brain are primarily discussed. Distinctive potential mechanisms of therapeutic nanocomposites delivered via IN pathways to the brain are then discussed. Recent progress in developing functional NPs for applications in multimodal bioimaging, drug delivery, diagnostics, and therapeutics is also reviewed. This review is then concluded by discussing existing challenges, new directions, and future perspectives in IN delivery of nanomaterials.
How to Combat Health Misinformation: A Psychological Approach

in the 1970s on discriminatory intergroup behavior. In the study, a group of teenage boys who knew each other were randomly separated into arbitrary groups and then fed false information about the differences between them and the boys in the other group. Rather than trying to maximize their own group’s gains, the boys in the dominant group were willing to take actions not in their best interest if it caused even greater harm to the other groups. “Far from their behavior showing a pure desire to maximize their group’s gains, they often gave their group less to increase the difference between them and the out-group,” Tajfel discovered.
Assessment of the iliocapsularis muscle on magnetic resonance imaging

Morphologic features of Iliocapsularis (IC) may aid clinical decision‐making in the symptomatic hip. The relationship between IC muscle size and underlying hip pathology is emerging; however, research is limited in the imaging literature. The purpose of this study was to determine the reliability and reproducibility of measurements of the IC muscle and its MRI appearances. It also looked for any association between IC dimension and axial levels, side, gender and bony features of hip instability.
Deep learning identifies robust gender differences in functional brain organization and their dissociable links to clinical symptoms in autism

Background Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a highly heterogeneous disorder that affects nearly 1 in 189 females and 1 in 42 males. However, the neurobiological basis of gender differences in ASD is poorly understood, as most studies have neglected females and used methods ill-suited to capture such differences. Aims To identify robust functional brain organisation markers that distinguish between females and males with ASD and predict symptom severity. Method We leveraged multiple neuroimaging cohorts (ASD n = 773) and developed a novel spatiotemporal deep neural network (stDNN), which uses spatiotemporal convolution on functional magnetic resonance imaging data to distinguish between groups. Results stDNN achieved consistently high classification accuracy in distinguishing between females and males with ASD. Notably, stDNN trained to distinguish between females and males with ASD could not distinguish between neurotypical females and males, suggesting that there are gender differences in the functional brain organisation in ASD that differ from normative gender differences. Brain features associated with motor, language and visuospatial attentional systems reliably distinguished between females and males with ASD. Crucially, these results were observed in a large multisite cohort and replicated in a fully independent cohort. Furthermore, brain features associated with the motor network's primary motor cortex node predicted the severity of restricted/repetitive behaviours in females but not in males with ASD. Conclusions Our replicable findings reveal that the brains of females and males with ASD are functionally organised differently, contributing to their clinical symptoms in distinct ways. They inform the development of gender-specific diagnoses and treatment strategies for ASD, and ultimately advance precision psychiatry.
Computerized Multidomain EEG Classification System: A New Paradigm

The recent advancements in electroencepha- logram (EEG) signals classification largely center around the domain-specific solutions that hinder the algorithm cross-discipline adaptability. This study introduces a computer-aided broad learning EEG system (CABLES) for the classification of six distinct EEG domains under a unified sequential framework. Specifically, this paper proposes three novel modules namely, complex variational mode de- composition (CVMD), ensemble optimization-based featu- res selection (EOFS), and t-distributed stochastic neighbor embedding-based samples reduction (tSNE-SR) methods respectively for the realization of CABLES. Extensive expe- riments are carried out on seven different datasets from diverse disciplines using different variants of the neural network, extreme learning machine, and machine learning classifiers employing a 10-fold cross-validation strategy. Results compared with existing studies reveal that the highest classification accuracy of 99.1%, 97.8%, 94.3%, 91.5%, 98.9%, 95.3%, and 92% is achieved for the motor imagery dataset A, dataset B, slow cortical potentials, epilepsy, alcoholic, and schizophrenia EEG datasets res- pectively. The overall empirical analysis authenticates that the proposed CABLES framework outperforms the existing domain-specific methods in terms of classification accuracies and multirole adaptability, thus can be endorsed as an effective automated neural rehabilitation system.
Bimodal sensory integration in migraine: A study of the effect of visual stimulation on somatosensory evoked cortical responses

Background Merging of sensory information is a crucial process for adapting the behaviour to the environment in all species. It is not known if this multisensory integration might be dysfunctioning interictally in migraine without aura, where sensory stimuli of various modalities are processed abnormally when delivered separately. To investigate this question, we compared the effects of a concomitant visual stimulation on conventional low-frequency somatosensory evoked potentials and embedded high-frequency oscillations between migraine patients and healthy volunteers. Methods We recorded somatosensory evoked potentials in 19 healthy volunteers and in 19 interictal migraine without aura patients before, during, and 5 min after (T2) simultaneous synchronous pattern-reversal visual stimulation. At each time point, we measured amplitude and habituation of the N20-P25 low-frequency-somatosensory evoked potentials component and maximal peak-to-peak amplitude of early and late bursts of high-frequency oscillations. Results In healthy volunteers, the bimodal stimulation significantly reduced low-frequency-somatosensory evoked potentials habituation and tended to reduce early high-frequency oscillations that reflect thalamocortical activity. By contrast, in migraine without aura patients, bimodal stimulation significantly increased low-frequency-somatosensory evoked potentials habituation and early high-frequency oscillations. At T2, all visual stimulation-induced changes of somatosensory processing had vanished. Conclusion These results suggest a malfunctioning multisensory integration process, which could be favoured by an abnormal excitability level of thalamo-cortical loops.
Failing Performance Validity Cutoffs on the Boston Naming Test (BNT) Is Specific, but Insensitive to Non-Credible Responding

ABSTRACT This study was designed to examine alternative validity cutoffs on the Boston Naming Test (BNT). Archival data were collected from 206 adults assessed in a medicolegal setting following a motor vehicle collision. Classification accuracy was evaluated against three criterion PVTs. The first cutoff to achieve minimum specificity (.87-.88) was T ≤ 35, at . 33-. 45 sensitivity. T ≤ 33 improved specificity (.92-.93) at . 24-. 34 sensitivity. BNT validity cutoffs correctly classified 67–85% of the sample. Failing the BNT was unrelated to self-reported emotional distress. Although constrained by its low sensitivity, the BNT remains a useful embedded PVT.
Whole-Brain Metabolic Abnormalities Are Associated With Mobility in Older Adults With Multiple Sclerosis

Background Older adults with multiple sclerosis (MS) experience mobility impairments, but conventional brain imaging is a poor predictor of walking abilities in this population. Objective To test whether brain metabolites measured with Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) are associated with walking performance in older adults with MS. Methods Fifteen older adults with MS (mean age: 60.9, SD: 5.1) and 22 age-matched healthy controls (mean age: 64.2, SD: 5.7) underwent whole-brain MRS and mobility testing. Levels of N-acetylaspartate (NAA), myo-inositol (MI), choline (CHO), and temperature in 47 brain regions were compared between groups and correlated with walking speed (Timed 25 Foot Walk) and walking endurance (Six-Minute Walk). Results Older adults with MS had higher MI in 23 areas, including the bilateral frontal (right: t (21.449) = −2.605, P = . 016; left: t (35) = −2.434, P = . 020), temporal (right: t (35) = −3.063, P = . 004; left: t (35) = −3.026, P = . 005), and parietal lobes (right: t (21.100) = −2.886, P = . 009; left: t (35) = −2.507, P = . 017), and right thalamus (t (35) = −2.840, P = . 007). MI in eleven regions correlated with walking speed, and MI in twelve regions correlated with walking endurance. NAA was lower in MS in the bilateral thalami (right: t (35) = 3.449, P < . 001; left: t (35) = 2.061, P = . 047), caudate nuclei (right: t (33) = 2.828, P = . 008; left: t (32) = 2.132, P = . 041), and posterior cingulum (right: t (35) = 3.077, P = . 004; left: t (35) = 2.972, P = . 005). NAA in four regions correlated with walking speed and endurance. Brain temperature was higher in MS patients in four regions, but did not correlate with mobility measures. There were no group differences in CHO. Conclusion MI and NAA may be useful imaging end-points for walking ability as a clinical outcome in older adults with MS.
Patient stratification in hepatocellular carcinoma: impact on choice of therapy

ABSTRACT Introduction HCC comprises roughly 60 to 80% of all primary liver cancers and exhibits wide geographical variability. Appropriate treatment allocation needs to include both patient and tumor characteristics. Areas covered Current HCC classification systems to guide therapy are either liver function-centric and evaluate physiologic liver function to guide therapy or prognostic stratification classification systems broadly based on tumor morphologic parameters, patient performance status, and liver reserve assessment. This review focuses on different classification systems for HCC, their strengths, and weaknesses, as well as the use of artificial intelligence in improving prognostication in HCC. Expert opinion Future HCC classification systems will need to incorporate clinic-pathologic data from a multitude of sources and emerging therapies to develop patient-specific treatment plans targeting a patient’s unique tumor profile.
Tumor Deposits and Perineural Invasion had Comparable Impacts on the Survival of Patients With Non-metastatic Colorectal Adenocarcinoma: A Population-Based Propensity Score Matching and Competing Risk Analysis

Background Both tumor deposits (TD) and perineural invasion (PNI) have been identified as risk factors for poor survival in patients with non-metastatic colorectal adenocarcinoma (CRC). However, the adverse impacts of TD and PNI on the survival of patients with non-metastatic CRC have not been compared. Method Patients with non-metastatic CRC with known TD and PNI status were selected from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. First, bivariate logistic regression analysis was utilized to identify the factors associated with TD and PNI status. Then, patients were divided into four groups, according to TD and PNI status. Propensity score matching (PSM) was performed to balance the baseline covariates. The impact of TD and PNI on survival was assessed by analyzing overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific mortality (CSM) rates. OS was calculated by the Kaplan–Meier method with log-rank analysis. CSM was estimated by competing risk analysis using the Fine and Gray model. Results A total of 70 689 patients with CRC met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The positive rates of TD and PNI were 9.37% and 9.91%, respectively. For TD, the most important risk factor was N stage. With respect to PNI, the most significant factor was T stage. Tumor location, tumor size, differentiation grade, and serum CEA level were also correlated with TD and PNI status. After PSM, 1849 pairs were selected. Patients with TD+PNI+ status had the worst 5 year CSM and 5 year OS. In addition, the long-term survival outcomes of patients with TD+PNI− and TD−PNI+ status were comparable. Conclusion The adverse impacts of TD and PNI on the survival of patients with non-metastatic CRC were comparable. CRC patients with both TD and PNI positive had the worst survival outcome.
GSK3β and the aging kidney

Kidney function decreases with age and may soon limit millions of lives as the proportion of the population over 70 years of age increases. Glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β) is involved with metabolism and may have a role in kidney senescence, positioning it as a target for complications from chronic kidney disease. However, different studies suggest GSK3 has contrasting effects. In this issue of the JCI, Fang et al. explored the function of GSK3β and the interplay with lithium using human tissue and mouse models. Notably, GSK3β was overexpressed and activated in aging mice, and depleting GSK3β reduced senescence and glomerular aging. In this Commentary, we explore the similarities and differences between Fang et al. and previous findings by Hurcombe et al. These findings should prompt further study of lithium and other GSK3β inhibitors as a means of extending glomerular function in individuals with chronic kidney disease.
Multi-View Random-Walk Graph Regularization Low-Rank Representation for Cancer Clustering and Differentially Expressed Gene Selection

Cancer genome data generally consists of multiple views from different sources. These views provide different levels of information about gene activity, as well as more comprehensive cancer information. The low-rank representation (LRR) method, as a powerful subspace clustering method, has been extended and applied in cancer data research. Although the multi-view learning methods based on low rank representation have achieved good results in cancer multi-omics analysis because they fully consider the consistency and complementarity between views, these methods have some shortcomings in mining the potential local geometry of data. In view of this, this paper proposes a new method named Multi-view Random-walk Graph regularization Low-Rank Representation (MRGLRR) to comprehensively analyze multi-view genomics data. This method uses multi-view model to find the common centroid of view. By constructing a joint affinity matrix to learn the low-rank subspace representation of multiple sets of data, the hidden information of each view is fully obtained. In addition, this method introduces random walk graph regularization constraint to obtain more accurate similarity between samples. Different from the traditional graph regularization constraint, after constructing the KNN graph, we use the random walk algorithm to obtain the weight matrix. The random walk algorithm can retain more local geometric information and better learn the topological structure of the data. What's more, a feature gene selection strategy suitable for multi-view model is proposed to find more differentially expressed genes with research value. Experimental results show that our method is better than other representative methods in terms of clustering and feature gene selection for cancer multi-omics data.
Loss of Nexilin function leads to a recessive lethal fetal cardiomyopathy characterized by cardiomegaly and endocardial fibroelastosis

The Nexilin F‐Actin Binding Protein (Nexilin) encoded by NEXN is a cardiac Z‐disc protein important for cardiac function and development in humans, zebrafish, and mice. Heterozygote variants in the human NEXN gene have been reported to cause dilated and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Homozygous variants in NEXN cause a lethal form of human fetal cardiomyopathy, only described in two patients before. In a Swedish, four‐generation, non‐consanguineous family comprising 42 individuals, one female had three consecutive pregnancies with intrauterine fetal deaths caused by a lethal form of dilated cardiomyopathy. Whole‐exome sequencing and variant analysis revealed that the affected fetuses were homozygous for a NEXN variant (NM_144573:c.1302del;p.(Ile435Serfs*3)). Moreover, autopsy and histology staining declared that they presented with cardiomegaly and endocardial fibroelastosis. Immunohistochemistry staining for Nexilin in the affected fetuses revealed reduced antibody staining and loss of striation in the heart, supporting loss of Nexilin function. Clinical examination of seven heterozygote carriers confirmed dilated cardiomyopathy (two individuals), other cardiac findings (three individuals), or no cardiac deviations (two individuals), indicating incomplete penetrance or age‐dependent expression of dilated cardiomyopathy. RNA sequencing spanning the variant in cDNA blood of heterozygote individuals revealed nonsense‐mediated mRNA decay of the mutated transcripts. In the current study, we present the first natural course of the recessively inherited lethal form of human fetal cardiomyopathy caused by loss of Nexilin function. The affected family had uneventful pregnancies until week 23–24, followed by fetal death at week 24–30, characterized by cardiomegaly and endocardial fibroelastosis.
Description of damage in different clusters of patients with antiphospholipid syndrome

Objective To identify the different clinical phenotypes of antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) by using cluster analysis and describe cumulative damage of disease clusters. Methods This retrospective study includes patients with APS (±systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)). Two-step cluster analysis was applied by considering clinical data. Damage was calculated for all patients by applying damage index for APS (DIAPS). Results A total of 237 patients (198 females; median age of 43 years; median follow-up of 9.5 years) were classified into four clusters. Cluster 1 (n = 74) consisted of older patients with arterial-predominant thrombosis, livedo reticularis, and increased cardiovascular risk; cluster 2 (n = 70) of SLE+APS patients with thrombocytopenia and heart valve disease; cluster 3 (n = 59) of patients with venous-predominant thrombosis, less extra-criteria manifestations; and cluster 4 (n = 34) of patients with only pregnancy morbidity with lower frequency of extra-criteria features and cardiovascular risk. Patients with SLE+APS (n = 123) had the highest mean DIAPS. Regarding clusters, 1 and 2 had high cumulative damage. While cumulative survival rates of clusters did not differ, cluster 2 and 3 had lower survival rates at further years. There was no correlation between DIAPS and mortality. Conclusion SLE+APS patients with extra-criteria manifestations and older APS patients with arterial thrombosis and increased cardiovascular risk have higher cumulative damage. Effective treatment of SLE disease activity and control of cardiovascular risk may help to reduce cumulative damage in these patients.