Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Predictive value of metabolic activity detected by pre-operative 18F FDG PET/CT in ampullary adenocarcinoma

Abstract In ampullary adenocarcinoma cases, the clinical effects of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) have not yet been well-studied, unlike other prognostic factors that have been reported till date. This study aimed to investigate the clinical impact of maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) in predicting the prognosis of ampullary adenocarcinoma. Thirty-eight patients who underwent pre-operative 18F-FDG PET/CT and curative-intent resection of ampullary adenocarcinoma at Pusan National University Hospital (Pusan, South Korea) between 2008 and 2017 were retrospectively analyzed in this study. We evaluated the clinicopathologic outcomes according to the SUVmax using univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression analyses and receiver operating characteristic analysis to arrive at a cutoff value. Lymph node metastasis was detected in 9 patients, and 15 patients experienced a recurrence during the follow-up period. Among 38 patients, 33 showed an increased FDG uptake by the main tumor. SUVmax of 4.55 was selected as a significant independent predictive factor for patient survival along with poor tumor differentiation and high neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in multivariate analysis (P = .016, hazard ratio = 5.040). Patients with SUVmax under 4.55 exhibited significantly longer overall survival than the rest (<4.55 vs ≥4.55), and the 5-year overall survival was 82.8% versus 57.4% (P = .049). SUVmax of 4.55 on 18F-FDG PET/CT could be a predictive factor for tumor biology and long-term survival in patients with ampullary adenocarcinoma. Nevertheless, considering the cost aspect and its limited prognostic effect, this study seems to require more patient and multicenter studies.
Protective Effects of Lactobacillus plantarum CCFM8610 against Acute Toxicity Caused by Different Food-Derived Forms of Cadmium in Mice

Cadmium (Cd) is an environmental pollutant that is toxic to almost every human organ. Oral supplementation with lactic acid bacteria (LAB) has been reported to alleviate cadmium toxicity. However, research on the mitigation of cadmium toxicity by LAB is still limited to inorganic cadmium, which is not representative of the varied forms of cadmium ingested daily. In this study, different foodborne forms of cadmium were adopted to establish an in vivo toxicity model, including cadmium–glutathione, cadmium–citrate, and cadmium–metallothionein. The ability of Lactobacillus plantarum CCFM8610 to reduce the toxic effects of these forms of cadmium was further investigated. The 16S rRNA gene sequencing and metabolomics technologies based on liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) were adopted for the exploration of relevant protective mechanisms. The results demonstrated that the consumption of CCFM8610 can reduce the content of cadmium in mice and relieve the oxidative stress caused by different food–derived forms of cadmium, indicating that CCFM8610 has a promising effect on the remediation of the toxic effects of cadmium food poisoning. Meanwhile, protective effects on gut microflora and serum metabolites might be an important mechanism for probiotics to alleviate cadmium toxicity. This study provides a theoretical basis for the application of L. plantarum CCFM8610 to alleviate human cadmium poisoning.
Increased Adiposity Appraised with CUN-BAE Is Highly Predictive of Incident Hypertension. The SUN Project

Overweight and obesity are growing worldwide and strongly associated with hypertension. The Clínica Universidad de Navarra-Body Adiposity Estimator (CUN-BAE) index is proposed as an optimal indicator of body fatness. We aimed to investigate the association of body fat as captured by the CUN-BAE index with incident hypertension in a Mediterranean population. We assessed 15,950 participants of the SUN (Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra) prospective cohort (63.7% women) initially free of hypertension. Participants completed follow-up questionnaires biennially. A validated 136-item food-frequency questionnaire was administered at baseline. We used Cox models adjusted for multiple confounders. Among 12.3 years of median follow-up (interquartile range: 8.3, 15.0 years), 2160 participants reported having received a diagnosis of hypertension. We observed a strong direct association between progressively higher the CUN-BAE index at baseline and incident hypertension during follow-up in multivariable-adjusted models for men and women, even after further adjustment for BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2, showing a significant association also in non-obese participants. For each 2-unit increase in the CUN-BAE index, hypertension risk increased by 27% and 29% in men and women, respectively. The results remained significant when considering longitudinal repeated measures of changes in body fat assessed with the CUN-BAE index among the different biennial follow-up questionnaires. Our results emphasize the importance of reducing and maintaining a low body fat to prevent hypertension.
The Fusion of Microfluidics and Optics for On-Chip Detection and Characterization of Microalgae

It has been demonstrated that microalgae play an important role in the food, agriculture and medicine industries. Additionally, the identification and counting of the microalgae are also a critical step in evaluating water quality, and some lipid-rich microalgae species even have the potential to be an alternative to fossil fuels. However, current technologies for the detection and analysis of microalgae are costly, labor-intensive, time-consuming and throughput limited. In the past few years, microfluidic chips integrating optical components have emerged as powerful tools that can be used for the analysis of microalgae with high specificity, sensitivity and throughput. In this paper, we review recent optofluidic lab-on-chip systems and techniques used for microalgal detection and characterization. We introduce three optofluidic technologies that are based on fluorescence, Raman spectroscopy and imaging-based flow cytometry, each of which can achieve the determination of cell viability, lipid content, metabolic heterogeneity and counting. We analyze and summarize the merits and drawbacks of these micro-systems and conclude the direction of the future development of the optofluidic platforms applied in microalgal research.
The validation of oxygen uptake efficiency slope in patients with stroke

Abstract To evaluate the real aerobic capacity is difficult due to impaired limbs function in stroke patients. Oxygen uptake efficiency slope (OUES) could represent the aerobic capacity in submaximal exercise test. Hence, we designed this observational study to investigate the application of the OUES for evaluating aerobic capacity in these patients. Thirty-seven stroke patients were classified into 2 groups according to their Brunnstrom stage of affected lower limbs. Patients underwent cardiopulmonary exercise testing to assess cardiorespiratory fitness. Minute ventilation and oxygen consumption were measured, and OUES was calculated, compared with healthy reference values, and correlated with the peak oxygen consumption. The predictive validity of submaximal OUES was derived. Study participants’ OUES (median 566.2 [IQR, 470.0-711.6]) was 60% of healthy reference values and correlated positively with the peak oxygen consumption (r = 0.835) (P < .01). The predictive validity of oxygen uptake efficiency slope at 50% of maximal exercise duration (OUES50) and oxygen uptake efficiency slope at 75% of maximal exercise duration (OUES75) for oxygen uptake efficiency slope at 100% of maximal exercise duration (OUES100) was 0.877 and 0.973, respectively (P < .01). The OUES50, OUES75, and OUES100 groups were not significantly different; agreement of submaximal and maximal OUES values was strong. OUES is a valuable submaximal index for evaluating cardiorespiratory fitness in stroke patients. Moderate-to-high concurrent validity of this parameter with peak oxygen consumption and the high predictive validity of OUES50 and OUES75 for OUES100 suggest maximal exercise testing in stroke patients who cannot reach maximal exercise is unnecessary.
Description of Cystodiscus elachistocleis sp. nov. (Cnidaria: Myxosporea) parasitizing the gallbladder of Elachistocleis cesarii from Brazil, based on morphological and molecular analyses

Numerous pseudoplasmodia containing myxospores belonging to the genus Cystodiscus were found in the gallbladder of Elachistocleis cesarii from Mato Grosso State, Brazil. Herein, we describe Cystodiscus elachistocleis sp. nov., using morphological and small subunit ribosomal DNA sequences. The mature myxospores were ellipsoid to ovoid, measuring in average 10.6 (9.8–11.2) μm in length and 6.2 (5.6–6.6) μm in width. Polar capsules were pyriform and equal in size measuring in average 3.6 (2.8–4.3) μm in length and 2.6 (2.2–3.1) μm in width. Polar filaments had 2–4 coils. The myxospores had 3–5 transverse ridges. The phylogenetic analysis showed Cystodiscus elachistocleis sp. nov. as a sister species of Cystodiscus cf. immersus 1, in a subclade formed by species that parasitize the amphibians gallbladder. This is the first species of Cystodiscus described parasitizing a species of Elachistocleis and the third species of Cystodiscus described in Brazil.
Distribution of the Emergency Supplies in the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cloud Computing Based Approach

The containment of the COVID-19 pandemic was significantly affected by the unbalanced distribution of emergency supplies, low coordinated transport efficiency, high costs, and the inability of nonprofit organizations to handle the emergency supplies efficiently. Based on the COVID-19 experience, in this paper, we build a cloud platform for emergency supplies distribution to reduce the asymmetry of emergency logistics information, reduce the costs, and improve the efficiency of emergency supplies distribution. Our proposed method uses a genetic algorithm with the monarch scheme to optimize the urban emergency supplies distribution. The numerical results and sensitivity analysis for a sample network indicate that using the proposed platform the integrated cost in different cities are reduced by 29.01%, 28.67%, and 22.73%, the required time in different cities are reduced by 22.98%, 26.59%, and 36.65%. The results suggest that the proposed method reduces the integrated cost and transportation time and finds the optimal distribution path.
Street harassment perception and its relations with self-objectification of women La percepción sobre el acoso en las calles y su relación con la auto-cosificación de las mujeres

| Between 7 and 36% of women around the world report having been victimized through a violent act (UN 2006). Street harassment is an implicit type of violence that deprives women’s freedom of movement. There are no statistics of this type of violence in the Dominican Republic, but generally, cultural practice encourages both men and women to accept it. This study seeks to relate the perception of street harassment, self–objectification in women and their reactions to harassment. We used a non–probabilistic convenience sampling of 46 Dominican women working in a private university in Santo Domingo. Results indicate that the acceptance of sexual harassment has a low positive correlation with objectification, and a high positive correlation with the acceptance of myth of domestic violence. A lower acceptance of street harassment is related to higher levels of education and social status. A greater effort to prevent street harassment is associated with lower self–objectification of women.
ReacNetGen: an Automatic Reaction Network Generator for Reactive Molecular Dynamic Simulations

The reactive molecular dynamics is widely used in the field of computational chemistry to study the reaction mechanisms in molecular systems. However, complex trajectories that are difficult to analyze have become a major obstacle to its application in large-scale systems. In this work, a new approach named ReacNetGen is developed to obtain reaction networks based on reactive MD simulations. Molecular species can be automatically generated from the 3D coordinates of atoms in the trajectory. The hidden Markov model is used to filter the noises in the trajectory, which makes the analysis process easier and more accurate. Compared with manual analysis, the advantage of this method in terms of efficiency is very obvious for large-scale simulation trajectories. It has been successfully used in the analysis of the simulated oxidation of 4-component RP-3 and methane.
OP-CZOO180103 697..704

Penises play a key role in sperm transport and in stimulating female genitals. This should impact post-copulatory competition, and expose penis characteristics to sexual selective pressures. Studies of male genitalia have repeatedly reported negative static allometries, which mean that, within species, large males have disproportionally small genitals when compared with smaller individuals. Males of some sperm-storing bat species may stand as an exception to such a pattern by arousing from hibernation to copulate with torpid females. The selection for large penises might take place, if a long organ provides advantages during post-copulatory competition and/or if females have evolved mechanisms allowing the choice of sire, relying on characters other than pre-copulatory traits (e.g., penis size). In this study, we measured dimensions of the erected penis in 4 sperm-storing bat species. Furthermore, we collected sperm and evaluated the link between penis dimensions and sperm velocity. Our results revealed steep allometric slopes of the erected penis length in Barbastella barbastellus and an inverse allometry of penis head width in Myotis nattereri. More detailed studies of copulatory behavior are urgently needed to explain the range of observed scaling relations. Furthermore, penis head width correlates with sperm velocity in Plecotus auritus. For this last species, we propose that penis shape might act as a marker of male fertility.
EM Algorithm for Estimating the Parameters of Weibull Competing Risk Model

One of the most commonly used models in survival analysis is the additive Weibull model and its generalizations. They are well suited for modeling bathtub-shaped hazard rates that are a natural form of the hazard rate. Although they have some advantages, the maximum likelihood and the least square estimators are biased and have poor performance when the data set contains a large number of parameters. As an alternative, the expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm was applied to estimate the parameters of the additive Weibull model. The accuracy of the parameter estimates and the simulation study confirmed the advantages of the EM algorithm.
Smart Classroom: A Panacea for Effective ICT-based Instructional Strategies in Nigerian Medical Colleges

Technological advancements of this era have revolutionized every field of life. Teaching is no exception. ICT-based instructional strategies has noticeably paved its way into the profession of pedagogy. The advent of smart classroom has turned classroom learning environment into the high-tech content, which creates an interactive classroom teaching efficiency for teachers and students in learning situations, promote the students' active learning and cooperative learning, and then improve the efficiency and results of the medical curriculum teaching. Best global practices have been emphasized in medicine and other professions. Therefore, Medical colleges are supposed to be driven by these best global practices which are based on research and innovations. One of such innovations is the Smart Classroom for ICT-based instructional strategies which requires a teaching space, a variety of modern equipment, software and hardware technologies, and advanced educational philosophy of teaching. This study describes how ICT-Based instructional strategies in a smart classroom can create an effective teachinglearning process in medical colleges. The study also proposed a smart classroom integration model and the strategic ways to adopt it. To this end, the study went further to proffer some recommendations that will help improve this approach as follows; the university authority should provide constant source of electricity, a conducive environment for learning and make sure that adequate training is given to medical lecturers, clinical instructors, laboratory technologist, and even students in the use of modern teaching and learning
Antioxidant, Anti-Inflammatory and Wound Healing of Biosynthetic Gold Nanoparticles Using Mangosteen (G. Mangostona)

In current research, the synthesis of gold nanoparticles was achieved via reducing of gold ions in aqueous solution with Garcinia mangostana (G. mangostana) peel extract. The optimum concentration of gold (Au) solution, concentration ratio of Au solution and extract, temperature, time and pH, the synthesized AuNPs (G. mangostana-gold nanoparticles) were studied by using UV-Vis, FT-IR, AAS, AFM, SEM and Zitasizer. The absorbance peak is noticed between 535-550 nm via UV-Vis spectroscopic method. The SEM, AFM analysis were proofed the particle as spherical in structure and their size between 15-100nm. Therefore, mechanism of AuNPs synthesis had been suggested. Also, the antibacterial activity was examined using different bacteria as well as free radical scavenging activity was tested using 1, 1-Diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH). The AuNPs produced through biosynthesized method indicated a much elevated antioxidant activity as compared to peel extract of G. mangostana. Toxicity of the NPs and extract were tested via giving orally dose 50 mg/b.w. to mice. Diagnosis of the data (pathological changes) indicated that the AuNPs was non-toxic. The G. mangostana peel extract and AuNPs synthesized by this extract were converted to a cream and used as a wound healing cream. As a results, the AuNPs exhibited important role in wound healing progression compared to control, which may be attributed to their anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antioxidant activities. Therefore, this research confirms its important use of AuNPs and can be utilized as promising agents for in the development of new drugs.
Comparative Analysis of the Effects of the Anti-VEGF Drug and Glucocorticoid by Injection before the End of Vitrectomy for Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy

Objective To explore the effects of the anti-VEGF drug and glucocorticoid by injection before the end of vitrectomy for proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR). Methods Eighty PDR patients who underwent vitrectomy in our hospital (July 2020–June 2022) were selected as the research objects and randomized into group A (n = 40) and group B (n = 40) according to the order of admission. Before the end of surgery, group B was injected with glucocorticoid (triamcinolone acetonide) into the vitreous cavity, and group A was injected with anti-VEGF drug (conbercept). The ophthalmic parameters, incidence of complications, diabetes indexes, and surgical indexes of the two groups were compared. Results The best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), central macular thickness (CMT), macular blood flow density and intraocular pressure in group A were remarkably better than those in group B (P < 0.001). The incidence of complications (P < 0.05) and VEG/F level (P < 0.001) in group A were obviously lower than those in group B. There was no significant difference in fasting blood glucose (FBG) and surgical indexes between the two groups (P > 0.05). Conclusion Conbercept injection before the end of vitrectomy can improve the ophthalmic parameters, reduce the level of VEGF, and lower the possibility of postsurgical complications. Therefore, the low-cost and efficient anti-VEGF drug should be promoted and applied in practice.
Deep Learning-Based Computed Tomography Imaging to Diagnose the Lung Nodule and Treatment Effect of Radiofrequency Ablation

This study aimed to detect and diagnose the lung nodules as early as possible to effectively treat them, thereby reducing the burden on the medical system and patients. A lung computed tomography (CT) image segmentation algorithm was constructed based on the deep learning convolutional neural network (CNN). The clinical data of 69 patients with lung nodules diagnosed by needle biopsy and pathological comprehensive diagnosis at hospital were collected for specific analysis. The CT image segmentation algorithm was used to distinguish the nature and volume of lung nodules and compared with other computer aided design (CAD) software (Philips ISP). 69 patients with lung nodules were treated by radiofrequency ablation (RFA). The results showed that the diagnostic sensitivity of the CT image segmentation algorithm based on the CNN was obviously higher than that of the Philips ISP for solid nodules <5 mm (63 cases vs. 33 cases) (P < 0.05); it was the same result for the subsolid nodule <5 mm (33 case vs. 5 cases) (P < 0.05) that was slightly higher for solid and subsolid nodules with a diameter of 5–10 mm (37 cases vs. 28 cases) (P < 0.05). In addition, the CNN algorithm can reach all detection for calcified nodules and pleural nodules (7 cases; 5 cases), and the diagnostic sensitivities were much better than those of Philips ISP (2 cases; 3 cases) (P < 0.05). Patients with pulmonary nodules treated by RFA were in good postoperative condition, with a half-year survival rate of 100% and a one-year survival rate of 72.4%. Therefore, it could be concluded that the CT image segmentation algorithm based on the CNN could effectively detect and diagnose the lung nodules early, and the RFA could effectively treat the lung nodules.
Neurological and Neurobehavioral Disorders Associated with Toxoplasma gondii Infection in Humans

The intracellular parasite Toxoplasma gondii is estimated to infect up to 30% of the world population, leading to lifelong chronic infection of the brain and muscle tissue. Although most latent T. gondii infections in humans have traditionally been considered asymptomatic, studies in rodents suggest phenotypic neurological changes are possible. Consequently, several studies have examined the link between T. gondii infection and diseases such as schizophrenia, epilepsy, depression, bipolar disorder, dysphoria, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). To date, there is varying evidence of the relationship of T. gondii to these human neurological or neurobehavioral disorders. A thorough review of T. gondii literature was conducted to highlight and summarize current findings. We found that schizophrenia was most frequently linked to T. gondii infection, while sleep disruption showed no linkage to T. gondii infection, and other conditions having mixed support for a link to T. gondii. However, infection as a cause of human neurobehavioral disease has yet to be firmly established.