Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Vitamin A deficiency and vitamin A supplementation affect innate and T cell immune responses to rotavirus A infection in a conventional sow model

Rotavirus A (RVA) causes ~200,000 diarrheal deaths annually in children <5yrs, mostly in low- and middle-income countries. Risk factors include nutritional status, social factors, breastfeeding status, and immunodeficiency. We evaluated the effects of vitamin A (VA) deficiency/VA supplementation and RVA exposure (anamnestic) on innate and T cell immune responses in RVA seropositive pregnant and lactating sows and passive protection of their piglets post-RVA challenge. Sows were fed VA deficient (VAD) or sufficient (VAS) diets starting at gestation day (GD)30. A subset of VAD sows received VA supplementation from GD|76 (30,000IU/day, VAD+VA). Sows (6 groups) were inoculated with porcine RVA G5P[7] (OSU strain) or Minimal Essential Medium (mock) at GD~90: VAD+RVA; VAS+RVA; VAD+VA+RVA; VAD-mock; VAS-mock; and VAD+VA-mock. Blood, milk, and gut-associated tissues were collected from sows at several time points to examine innate [natural killer (NK), dendritic (DC) cells], T cell responses and changes in genes involved in the gut-mammary gland (MG)-immunological axis trafficking. Clinical signs of RVA were evaluated post inoculation of sows and post-challenge of piglets. We observed decreased frequencies of NK cells, total and MHCII+ plasmacytoid DCs, conventional DCs, CD103+ DCs and CD4+/CD8+ and T regulatory cells (Tregs) and NK cell activity in VAD+RVA sows. Polymeric Ig receptor and retinoic acid receptor alpha (RARα) genes were downregulated in mesenteric lymph nodes and ileum of VAD+RVA sows. Interestingly, RVA-specific IFN-γ producing CD4+/CD8+ T cells were increased in VAD-Mock sows, coinciding with increased IL-22 suggesting inflammation in these sows. VA supplementation to VAD+RVA sows restored frequencies of NK cells and pDCs, and NK activity, but not tissue cDCs and blood Tregs. In conclusion, similar to our recent observations of decreased B cell responses in VAD sows that led to decreased passive immune protection of their piglets, VAD impaired innate and T cell responses in sows, while VA supplementation to VAD sows restored some, but not all responses. Our data reiterate the importance of maintaining adequate VA levels and RVA immunization in pregnant and lactating mothers to achieve optimal immune responses, efficient function of the gut-MG-immune cell-axis and to improve passive protection of their piglets.
Application of DCE-MRI radiomics signature analysis in differentiating molecular subtypes of luminal and non-luminal breast cancer

Background The goal of this study was to develop and validate a radiomics signature based on dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) preoperatively differentiating luminal and non-luminal molecular subtypes in patients with invasive breast cancer. Methods One hundred and thirty-five invasive breast cancer patients with luminal (n = 78) and non-luminal (n = 57) molecular subtypes were divided into training set (n = 95) and testing set (n = 40) in a 7:3 ratio. Demographics and MRI radiological features were used to construct clinical risk factors. Radiomics signature was constructed by extracting radiomics features from the second phase of DCE-MRI images and radiomics score (rad-score) was calculated. Finally, the prediction performance was evaluated in terms of calibration, discrimination, and clinical usefulness. Results Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that no clinical risk factors were independent predictors of luminal and non-luminal molecular subtypes in invasive breast cancer patients. Meanwhile, the radiomics signature showed good discrimination in the training set (AUC, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.78–0.93) and the testing set (AUC, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.65–0.95). Conclusion The DCE-MRI radiomics signature is a promising tool to discrimination luminal and non-luminal molecular subtypes in invasive breast cancer patients preoperatively and noninvasively.
The mechanisms of NLRP3 inflammasome/pyroptosis activation and their role in diabetic retinopathy

In the working-age population worldwide, diabetic retinopathy (DR), a prevalent complication of diabetes, is the main cause of vision impairment. Chronic low-grade inflammation plays an essential role in DR development. Recently, concerning the pathogenesis of DR, the Nod-Like Receptor Family Pyrin Domain Containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome in retinal cells has been determined as a causal factor. In the diabetic eye, the NLRP3 inflammasome is activated by several pathways (such as ROS and ATP). The activation of NPRP3 leads to the secretion of inflammatory cytokines interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and interleukin-18 (IL-18), and leads to pyroptosis, a rapid inflammatory form of lytic programmed cell death (PCD). Cells that undergo pyroptosis swell and rapture, releasing more inflammatory factors and accelerating DR progression. This review focuses on the mechanisms that activate NLRP3 inflammasome and pyroptosis leading to DR. The present research highlighted some inhibitors of NLRP3/pyroptosis pathways and novel therapeutic measures concerning DR treatment.
Editorial: MALDI-TOF MS in microbiological diagnostics: future applications beyond identification

COPYRIGHT © 2023 Becker and Lupetti. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms. Editorial: MALDI-TOF MS in microbiological diagnostics: future applications beyond identification
The role of hearing professionals for over-the-counter hearing aids

Adults with all levels of hearing loss have faced financial and accessibility constraints in obtaining prescription hearing aids. To increase access to hearing aids, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has created a new designation of over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids for adults with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss. The goal of this article is to describe the incorporation of OTC hearing aid users into established audiology services. A proposed workflow was created by otolaryngologists and audiologists at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and is being implemented at outpatient audiology offices. We used published criteria for appropriate OTC hearing aid usage and disqualifying criteria hearing specialists should be aware of. The proposed workflow describes the multiple entry points for OTC hearing aid users seeking access to care and appropriate objectives for these visits. The new FDA ruling has increased the accessibility of hearing assistance devices; however, the varying degrees of retailer support systems could lead to improper fitting and other technical problems for some patients trialing new hearing aids. Our proposed workflow aims to describe the incorporation of established hearing assistance services with the new OTC hearing aid market.
Immunocytoprotection after reperfusion with Kv1.3 inhibitors has an extended treatment window for ischemic stroke

Introduction: Mechanical thrombectomy has improved treatment options and outcomes for acute ischemic stroke with large artery occlusion. However, as the time window of endovascular thrombectomy is extended there is an increasing need to develop immunocytoprotective therapies that can reduce inflammation in the penumbra and prevent reperfusion injury. We previously demonstrated, that by reducing neuroinflammation, KV1.3 inhibitors can improve outcomes not only in young male rodents but also in female and aged animals. To further explore the therapeutic potential of KV1.3 inhibitors for stroke therapy, we here directly compared a peptidic and a small molecule KV1.3 blocker and asked whether KV1.3 inhibition would still be beneficial when started at 72 hours after reperfusion. Methods: Transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO, 90-min) was induced in male Wistar rats and neurological deficit assessed daily. On day-8 infarction was determined by T2-weighted MRI and inflammatory marker expression in the brain by quantitative PCR. Potential interactions with tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) were evaluated in-vitro with a chromogenic assay. Results: In a direct comparison with administration started at 2 hours after reperfusion, the small molecule PAP-1 significantly improved outcomes on day-8, while the peptide ShK-223 failed to reduce infarction and neurological deficits despite reducing inflammatory marker expression. PAP-1 still provided benefits when started 72 hours after reperfusion. PAP-1 does not reduce the proteolytic activity of tPA. Discussion: Our studies suggest that KV1.3 inhibition for immunocytoprotection after ischemic stroke has a wide therapeutic window for salvaging the inflammatory penumbra and requires brain-penetrant small molecules.
Real-time assessment of neutrophil metabolism and oxidative burst using extracellular flux analysis

Neutrophil responses are critical during inflammatory and infective events, and neutrophil dysregulation has been associated with poor patient outcomes. Immunometabolism is a rapidly growing field that has provided insights into cellular functions in health and disease. Neutrophils are highly glycolytic when activated, with inhibition of glycolysis associated with functional deficits. There is currently very limited data available assessing metabolism in neutrophils. Extracellular flux (XF) analysis assesses real time oxygen consumption and the rate of proton efflux in cells. This technology allows for the automated addition of inhibitors and stimulants to visualise the effect on metabolism. We describe optimised protocols for an XFe96 XF Analyser to (i) probe glycolysis in neutrophils under basal and stimulated conditions, (ii) probe phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate induced oxidative burst, and (iii) highlight challenges of using XF technology to examine mitochondrial function in neutrophils. We provide an overview of how to analyze XF data and identify pitfalls of probing neutrophil metabolism with XF analysis. In summary we describe robust methods for assessing glycolysis and oxidative burst in human neutrophils and discuss the challenges around using this technique to assess mitochondrial respiration. XF technology is a powerful platform with a user-friendly interface and data analysis templates, however we suggest caution when assessing neutrophil mitochondrial respiration.
Using Microscopy to Look Inside the Brain in Action

The brain is the control center for all our thoughts and actions. Have you ever wondered exactly how your brain works as you run, jump, and play? To look inside the working brain, scientists use a combination of high-tech microscopes, lasers, and genetic engineering, which allows them to directly see the cells within the brain—called neurons. Scientists can make neurons glow when those cells become active, which tells scientists the neurons are passing information to each other in large networks. In this way, neurons take in information from the environment and use it to plan your next move. We will discuss the biology, physics, and virtual tools that scientists are using to directly examine the activity of neurons in the brains of mice. The findings from these experiments help scientists understand how neurons work together, how they help us learn and remember, and what goes wrong in disorders that affect the brain.
Editorial: Neural pathophysiological mechanisms of neuropsychiatric disorders underlying substance abuse

COPYRIGHT © 2023 Wang, Gu and Qiu. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms. Editorial: Neural pathophysiological mechanisms of neuropsychiatric disorders underlying substance abuse
Editorial: Advance in diagnostics for central nervous system infection

COPYRIGHT © 2023 Abu-Rumeileh and Luo. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms. Editorial: Advance in diagnostics for central nervous system infection
Environmental and microbial factors influence affective and cognitive behavior in C57BL/6 sub-strains

C57BL/6 mice are one of the most widely used inbred strains in biomedical research. Early separation of the breeding colony has led to the development of several sub-strains. Colony separation led to genetic variation development driving numerous phenotypic discrepancies. The reported phenotypic behavior differences between the sub-strains were, however; not consistent in the literature, suggesting the involvement of factors other than host genes. Here, we characterized the cognitive and affective behavior of C57BL/6J and C57BL/6N mice in correlation with the immune cell profile in the brain. Furthermore, faecal microbiota transfer and mice co-housing techniques were used to dissect microbial and environmental factors’ contribution, respectively, to cognitive and affective behavior patterns. We first noted a unique profile of locomotor activity, immobility pattern, and spatial and non-spatial learning and memory abilities between the two sub-strains. The phenotypic behavior profile was associated with a distinct difference in the dynamics of type 2 cytokines in the meninges and brain parenchyma. Analysing the contribution of microbiome and environmental factors to the noted behavioral profile, our data indicated that while immobility pattern was genetically driven, locomotor activity and cognitive abilities were highly sensitive to alterations in the gut microbiome and environmental factors. Changes in the phenotypic behavior in response to these factors were associated with changes in immune cell profile. While microglia were highly sensitive to alteration in gut microbiome, immune cells in meninges were more resilient. Collectively, our findings demonstrated a direct impact of environmental conditions on gut microbiota which subsequently impacts the brain immune cell profile that could modulate cognitive and affective behavior. Our data further highlight the importance of characterizing the laboratory available strain/sub-strain to select the most appropriate one that fits best the study purpose.
The effect of thickness and elastic modulus of the anterior talofibular ligament on anterior ankle joint stiffness: A subject-specific finite element study

Ankle sprain is a frequent type of sports injury leading to lateral ligament injury. The anterior talofibular ligament (ATFL) is a primary ligamentous stabilizer of the ankle joint and typically the most vulnerable ligament injured in a lateral ankle sprain (LAS). This study aimed to quantitively investigate the effect of the thickness and elastic modulus of ATFL on anterior ankle joint stiffness (AAJS) by developing nine subject-specific finite element (FE) models under acute injury, chronic injury, and control conditions of ATFL. A 120 N forward force was applied at the posterior calcaneus leading to an anterior translation of the calcaneus and talus to simulate the anterior drawer test (ADT). In the results, the ratio of the forward force to the talar displacement was used to assess the AAJS, which increased by 5.85% in the acute group and decreased by 19.78% in the chronic group, compared to those of the control group. An empirical equation described the relationship between AAJS, thickness, and elastic modulus (R-square 0.98). The equation proposed in this study provided an approach to quantify AAJS and revealed the effect of the thickness and the elastic modulus of ATFL on ankle stability, which may shed light on the potential diagnosis of lateral ligament injury.
Case report: Diagnosis of apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy that escaped clinical and echocardiographic investigations for twenty years: Reasons and clinical implications

Background Apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (ApHCM) is a rare form of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy which predominantly affects the apex of the left ventricle. The diagnosis can be challenging due to several factors, ranging from no typical clinical and electrocardiogram (EKG) findings to potential difficulties in executing and interpreting the echocardiographic examination. Case presentation We report the case of an 84-year-old woman who came to our echo-lab to undergo a routine echocardiogram. She had a history of permanent atrial fibrillation, paced rhythm and previous episodes of heart failure (HF), allegedly explained by a diagnosis of hypertensive heart disease that had been confirmed many times over the previous 20 years. The clinical examination and the EKG were unremarkable. The echocardiographic images were poor quality. But a senior cardiologist, expert in imaging and echocardiography, noted the lack of delineation of the endocardial border of the left ventricular (LV) apex region. Contrast echocardiography was performed and severe apical hypertrophy discovered. Conclusion ApHCM can be a challenging diagnosis. Contrast echocardiography must always be applied in cases of poor delineation of the LV apical endocardial border at baseline echocardiography. Timely detection and appropriate lifestyle intervention might slow the development of LV hypertrophy, and possibly minimize and delay heart failure (HF) related symptoms and arrhythmias. The prognosis remains relatively benign during long term follow-up.
Color Invariant Feature Descriptor for Object Recognition

Object recognition is an important part of computer vision because it is closely related to the success of many computer vision applications. A number of object recognition algorithms and systems have been proposed for a long time in order to address this problem. Yet, there still lacks a general and comprehensive solution. Recently, view-based object recognition by invariant local features have demonstrated good performance on a variety of object recognition problems. However, they tend to ignore color information because of some reasons. In this paper, the most representative invariant local features are first reviewed in the first chapter. We evaluated some of their performances and presented the results in the “experimental results” section. After that, techniques that make color robust enough to be used as a recognition cue are presented. These techniques are keys toward successfully incorporating color into local features. At last, some possible extensions to the recently proposed approaches are proposed and discussed in the paper.
Efficient Power Control for Integrated Sensing and Communication Networks with Dual Connectivity

Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC) has recently emerged as an additional communication service within the Internet of Things (IoT) and Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) era, through which distributed nodes are able to communicate their sensing information to a Base Station (BS) using integrated signals. In this paper, we study the coexistence of ISAC with other communication types of the nodes, by introducing a software-defined framework to control the nodes' uplink transmission powers related to each service. Each node is simultaneously engaged in two types of communications with different BSs for ISAC and generic data transmission to the cloud via dual connectivity. The uplink power splitting/control problem between the BSs is formulated as a non-cooperative game in satisfaction form, through which each node autonomously concludes to a Satisfaction Equilibrium (SE) point that meets its minimum ISAC and pure communication-oriented requirements. Different achievable SE points are analyzed, while an Reinforcement Learning (RL) and a searching-based algorithm are introduced to conclude to the SE and Minimum Efficient SE (MESE) of the studied problem. Simulation results demonstrate the operation of the algorithms and the overall proposed framework in achieving an efficient share of the resources to the different services.
Measuring Young Learners' Open-Ended Agent-Based Programming Practices With Learning Analytics

Agent-based modeling (ABM) has been recognized as an important component of computational thinking and literacy. Agent-based programming (ABP) is the computational foundation of ABM. In this study, we propose a novel method to programmatically measure young learners’ ABP practices in open-ended programming contexts with a 4-stage model. We present results from the online community of Turtle Universe, a new version of NetLogo designed for mobile platforms and younger learners in informal contexts. We draw on a dataset of 2,300 block-based and text-based projects shared by out-of-school, unsupervised learners. Our approach generally succeeded in measuring learners’ open-ended ABP practices. Differences were found among projects of different stages and modalities. We discuss the implications of our approach and design of block-based ABP environments.
A New Algorithm for Fast and Accurate Circular Targets Recognition

Based on profound research in the circles of binary images,two important parameters are presented: the ratio between the number of pixels on circle and its radius,and the difference between the ideal radius and the actual radius.Using these two important parameters,a new algorithm is designed for fast and efficient circular targets detection.After denoising,edge extraction and circles detection,the centre of circles and radii parameters are exported and the circles are plotted in the image which has the same size as original one but contains nothing.Large numbers of experiments show that mass circles can be detected in very large remote sensing images fast and accurately and the algorithm implemented with VC 7.0.
Investigation of the Attitudes of Women of Reproductive Age to Family Planning with the Anxiety they Experienced during the Pandemic Period

Objective: It was planned to investigate the anxiety experienced by women of reproductive age during the pandemic and their attitudes towards family planning. Method: A descriptive and correlational study was conducted across the country between June and August 2021 with women of reproductive age, sexually active, without sexual dysfunction and anxiety disorder. "Personal Information Form", "State-Trait Anxiety Scale" and "Family Planning Attitude Scale" were used to collect data. Results: The mean age of the women participating in the study was 31.96±7.48 years, and the majority (38.2%) use condoms as a family planning method. Anxiety total scale score average was 102.17±23.48 and Family Planning Attitude Scale total score average was 129.19±20.67. There was a weak negative correlation between the Anxiety Total score of women and the Attitude of the Society towards Family Planning sub-dimension score (r:- .341, p:.000), and a very weak negative statistically significant relationship between the Family Planning Attitude Scale score (r:-.242, p:.000). Conclusion: It was found that the state anxiety levels of women were higher than the trait anxiety levels during the pandemic period, and it was determined that high anxiety had a negative effect on family planning attitudes.