Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Harnessing novel strategies and cell types to overcome immune tolerance during adoptive cell therapy in cancer

Cell therapy encompasses an expanding spectrum of cell-based regimes for the treatment of human ailments, such as the use of immune cells, in particular T cells, for combating tumors and the modulation of inflammatory immune responses. In this review, we focus on cell therapy in the immuno-oncology space, which is largely driven by interests and demands from the clinics for better solutions to target various hard-to-treat cancers. We discuss recent advances in various types of cell therapies, including T cell receptor-T cells, chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells, tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and natural killer cells. Particularly, the present review focuses on the strategies to improve therapeutic responses by either enhancing tumor recognition or the resilience of infused immune cells within tumor microenvironment. Finally, we discuss the potential of other innate or innate-like immune cell types currently being explored as promising CAR-cell alternatives that seek to address the limitations of conventional adoptive cell therapies.
Relative Efficacy of Cervical Total Disc Arthroplasty Devices and Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion for Cervical Pathology: A Network Meta-Analysis

Study Design Systematic Review and Meta Analysis Objective This study sought to compare patient-reported outcomes, success, complications, and radiographic outcomes directly and indirectly between different cervical total disc arthroplasty (TDA) devices and anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF). Methods Patients of prospective randomized controlled trials of 1-level cervical TDA with a minimum of 2 years follow up were identified in the literature. A frequentist network meta-analysis model was used to compare each outcome across the different TDA devices included and ACDF using the mixed effect sizes. Results 15 studies were included for quantitative analysis, reporting the outcomes of 2643 patients with an average follow-up was 67.3 months (range: 24-120 months), 1417 of whom underwent TDA and 1226 of whom underwent ACDF. Nine TDA devices were compared to ACDF, including the Bryan, Discover, Kineflex, M6, Mobi-C, PCM, Prestige ST, ProDisc-C, and Secure-C cervical prostheses. Several devices outperformed ACDF for certain outcomes, including Visual Analog Scale (VAS) Arm, Physical Component Score of the Short-Form Health Survey (SF PCS), neurological success, satisfaction, index-level secondary surgical interventions (SSI), and adjacent level surgeries. Cumulative ranking of each intervention assessed demonstrated the highest performance with the M6 prosthesis (P = .70), followed by Secure-C (P = .67), PCM (P = .57), Prestige ST (P = .57), ProDisc-C (P = .54), Mobi-C (P = .53), Bryan (P = .49), Kineflex (P = .49), Discover (P = .39), and ACDF (P = .14). Conclusion Cervical TDA was found to be superior on most outcomes assessed in the literature of high-quality clinical trials. While most devices demonstrated similar outcomes, certain prostheses such as the M6 were found to outperform others across several outcomes assessed. These findings suggest that the restoration of near-normal cervical kinematics may lead to improved outcomes.
Lizards exploit the changing optics of developing chromatophore cells to switch defensive colors during ontogeny

Significance Studying functional color changes during animal development provides a means of understanding the evolution and formation of animal color. Here, we find that blue-to-brown changes in defensive colors in certain developing lizards occurs not by the energetically costly exchange of different optical systems but by exploiting the changing optics of single types of maturing pigment cells. The optical mechanism involves the transformation of a disordered guanine scatterer into a multilayer reflector coupled with pigmentation of the developing xanthophores. These results reveal a way for generating blue color from guanine crystals via incoherent scattering rather than multilayer interference. The results provide insights on the assembly of guanine photonic superstructures and the evolution of conspicuous tail colors in lizards.
Infrared Image Edge Detection Algorithm Based on Improved Canny Algorithm

Edge detection is the key technology of image feture extraction.In the traditional Canny edge detection algorithm,gaussian filter variance do not have the adapt ability,and can not effectively filter the specific noise of infrared image,have limitations for the edge extraction of infrared image.This paper deeply study the Canny edge detection algorithm and analysis the infrared image noise type,aim at the question that gaussian filter influents the denoising and edge preserving of infrared image,put forward the improved Canny algorithm using morphological filtering instead of gaussian filtering. The simulation verify the effectiveness of this method. Improved algorithm can effectively extract the edge of infrared image with noise,effectively keep the edge strength and details of infrared image.
Convex Splitting Schemes Interpreted as Fully Implicit Schemes in Disguise for Phase Field Modeling

Convex splitting schemes (CSS in short) are among the most popular numerical schemes used in phase-field modeling. In this paper, we report a simple observation that some well-known CSS can be interpreted as some fully implicit schemes (FIS in short) in disguise. For the Allen-Cahn model, we prove that the standard CSS is exactly the same as the standard FIS but with a (much) smaller time step size and as a result, it would provide an approximation to the original solution of the Allen-Cahn model at a delayed time (although the magnitude of such a delay is reduced when the time step size is reduced). For the Cahn-Hilliard model, we prove that the standard CSS is exactly the same as the standard FIS for a different model that is a (nontrivial) perturbation of the original Cahn-Hilliard model. Motivated by such an equivalence between CSS and FIS, we propose a modification of a typical FIS or CSS for the Allen-Cahn so that the maximum principle will be valid on the discrete level and we further rigorously prove that, the linearization of such a modified FIS or CSS can be uniformly preconditioned by a Poisson-like operator.
Consumer? Views and preferences of people receiving public mental health care in Australia on the terms used to refer to them

Objectives To understand: a) whether adults receiving public mental health care were aware they were officially referred to as ‘consumers’ and, b) their views and preferences on the terms used to refer to them. Methods Single-page, anonymous survey conducted across two community mental health services in Northern New South Wales (NNSW). Ethics approval obtained from the local research office. Results 108 people completed the survey with a response rate of approximately 22%. The vast majority (77%) of respondents were not aware that they were officially referred to as ‘consumers’. 32% of respondents disliked the term ‘consumer’ and 11% found it offensive. Half preferred the term ‘patient’, particularly when consulting a psychiatrist (55%). A small minority (5–7%) preferred the term ‘consumer’ for any care interaction. Conclusion Most respondents in this survey wished to be referred to as a ‘patient’ and a large proportion disliked being referred to as a ‘consumer’ or found it offensive. Further surveys should include broader sociodemographic and diagnostic/treatment variables. Official terms used to refer to people receiving public mental health care should be person-centred and evidence based.
Initial compatibility during a “Speed‐Dating” test predicts postpairing affiliation in titi monkeys (Plecturocebus cupreus)

Behavioral compatibility plays a critical role in shaping how potential mates interact with and evaluate each other and whether they choose to pursue a relationship. Compatibility is especially important for mate choice and relationship quality in pair‐bonding species that form long‐term attachments between mates. Although this process has been studied in humans and birds, relatively few studies have investigated it in non‐human primates. In this study, we investigated whether pairing titi monkeys (Plecturocebus cupreus) based on initial compatibility increased postpairing affiliation between mates. Subjects were 12 unpaired adult titi monkeys (two cohorts of three males and three females). We determined each subject's initial interest in each opposite‐sex potential mate in their cohort across a series of six 30‐min interaction periods (i.e., “speed‐dates”). To determine initial compatibility, we used the Social Relations Model to calculate relationship effects in initial interest (how much each subject uniquely preferred each potential mate beyond their own affiliative disposition and their partner's popularity). We then paired monkeys in a way that maximized net relationship effects between pairs, and measured longitudinal pair affiliation (Proximity, Contact, Tail Twining, and Combined Affiliation) for 6 months postpairing using daily scan‐sample observations and monthly home‐cage video recordings. Multilevel models showed that, on average, the six speed‐dating pairs exhibited higher levels of Tail Twining (determined from scan‐sample observations; β = 0.31) compared to a group of 13 age‐matched colony pairs that were determined quasi‐randomly without quantifying compatibility. The degree of initial compatibility within speed‐dating pairs also predicted higher levels of Combined Affiliation (determined from video recordings) at earlier post‐pairing time points, with the association peaking at 2 months postpairing (β = 0.57). These findings suggest that initial compatibility facilitates pair bonding in titi monkeys. We conclude by discussing how the speed‐dating design can be used for colony management to inform pair‐housing decisions.
Exploring first-feeding diets for European eel larval culture: Insights at morphological, nutritional, and molecular levels

Closing the life cycle of European eel (Anguilla anguilla) in captivity is targeted to provide a sustainable, year-round supply of juveniles for aquaculture. Present focus is on the nutritional requirements during the larval first-feeding period. In this study, three experimental diets were tested on hatchery-produced European eel larvae from the onset of the first-feeding stage commencing 10 days post hatch (dph) until 28 dph. Larval mortality was recorded daily, while sampling was conducted at regular intervals to record larval biometrics and analyze the expression of genes related to digestion, appetite, feed intake and growth. Two periods of high mortality were identified: the first appeared shortly after introduction of feeds (10–12 dph), while the second occurred 20–24 dph, indicating the “point of no return”. This interpretation was supported at the molecular level by the expression of the gene encoding the “hunger hormone” ghrelin (ghrl) that peaked at 22 dph in all dietary trials, suggesting that most larvae were fasting. However, in larvae fed diet 3, ghrl expression was downregulated beyond 22 dph, which indicated that those larvae were no longer starving at this stage, while upregulation of genes encoding the major digestive enzymes (try, tgl, and amyl2a) advocated their healthy development. Moreover, for larvae fed diet 3, the expression of those genes as well as genes for feed intake (pomca) and growth (gh) continued to increase towards 28 dph. These results together with the registered highest survival, largest dry weight increase, and enhanced biometrics (length and body area) pointed to diet 3 as the best-performing. As a whole, this first-feeding study represents a landmark being the first to document European eel larval growth and survival beyond the point of no return, providing novel insights into the molecular development of digestive functions during the first feeding stage.
Discovery of frequent itemsets based on minimum quantity andsupport

Most of the association rules mining algorithms to discover frequent itemsets do not consider the components of transactions such as total cost, number of items or quantity in which items bought. In a large database it is possible that even if the itemset appears in a very few transactions, it may be purchased in a large quantity for every transaction in which it is present, and may lead to a very high profit. Therefore the quantity and the total cost of the item bought are the most important components, lack of which may lead to loss of information. Our novelmethod discovers all frequent itemsets based on items quantity, in addition to the discovery of frequent itemsets based on user defined minimum support. In order to achieve this, we first construct a tree containing the quantities of the items bought, as well as the transactions which do not contain these items in a single scan of the database. Then, by scanning the tree, we can discover all frequent itemsets based on user defined minimum quantity as well as support. Thismethod is also found to be more efficient than the Apriori and the FP-tree, whichrequire multiple scans of the database to discover all frequent itemsets based on user defined minimum support.
Cell cycle controls long-range calcium signaling in the regenerating epidermis

Moore, Bhaskar, Gao, et al. combine live imaging of the mouse epidermis and machine learning to study the role and regulation of calcium signaling within the stem cell layer. They find that cells in G2 are necessary for coordinated tissue-wide communication and reveal a feedback loop between cell cycle and calcium signaling.
Diabetes Mellitus as Cancer Risk: A 14-year, Cross-Sectional Analysis

Abstract Diabetes mellitus is widely thought to be a risk factors of cancers, but evidence of the association remains inconclusive, especially in Asian countries where few relevant studies have been conducted. Our study aimed to estimate overall and specific types of cancer risks among diabetes patients in Southern Thailand. Patients diagnosed with diabetes who visited the outpatient clinic of Songklanagarind Hospital during 2004 to 2018 were included. Newly diagnosed cancer patients were identified using the hospital-based cancer registry. Age-standardized incidence ratios (ASRs) and standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) were used to estimate and compare the cancer risks among diabetes patients and the general population in Southern Thailand. Of 29,314 diabetes patients identified during the study period, 1,113 patients had developed cancer. An increased risk for overall cancer was observed in both genders, with SIRs [95% CI] of 2.99 [2.65, 3.39] in men and 3.51 [3.12, 3.96] in women. Increases in the risk of several site-specific cancers including liver cancer, non-melanoma skin cancer, colon cancer and lung cancer in both sexes; prostate cancer, lymphoid leukemia, and multiple myeloma in men; and endometrial, breast, and thyroid cancer in women were observed. Our study found that diabetes generally increased the risk of both overall and site-specific cancers.
Following the MAP for Improved Kidney Function in Hepatorenal Syndrome

Hepatorenal syndrome type-1 (HRS-1) is a frequent cause of AKI in cirrhosis and is associated with signi ﬁ cant mortality. The median survival in HRS-1 is 8 – 12 weeks, with a 30-day survival of 25%. 1 Early recognition is essential to mitigate progression of renal dysfunction because the only de ﬁ nitive treatment for HRS-1 is liver transplantation, but HRS-1 is independently associated with increased mortality post-transplant. Moreover, elevated pretransplant serum creatinine and need for kidney replacement therapy is associated with nonresolution of HRS-1 after liver transplant. 2 Treatment of HRS-1 often necessitates admission into the intensive care unit (ICU) for the administration of vasopressor support. In patients with HRS-1, the mean length of ICU stay is 10 days, with an average total hospital stay of 30.5 days. 3 The diagnosis of AKI in patients with cirrhosis is independently associated with ICU admission, in addition to increased duration of hospital stay, development of multiple organ failure, and increased in-hospital mortality and 90-day mortality. 4 Despite the signi ﬁ cance of AKI in cirrhosis, several treatment questions remain, such as appropriate treatment parameters like mean arterial pressure (MAP) goals and urine output, to duration of treatment and weaning parameters, to more challenging questions such as when to consider renal replacement therapy or the effect of HRS-1 on liver transplantation evaluation, all leading to substantial resource allocation to these patients in the ICU.
Transcriptomic analysis of the honey bee (Apis mellifera) queen brain reveals that gene expression is affected by pesticide exposure during development

Honey bees (Apis mellifera) play a pivotal role in agricultural production worldwide, primarily through the provision of pollination services. But despite their importance, honey bee health continues to be threatened by many factors, including parasitization by the mite Varroa destructor, poor queen quality, and pesticide exposure. Accumulation of pesticides in the hive’s comb matrix over time inevitably leads to the exposure of developing brood, including queens, to wax contaminated with multiple compounds. Here, we characterized the brain transcriptome of queens that were reared in wax contaminated with pesticides commonly found in commercial beekeeping operations including either (a) a combination of 204,000 ppb of tau-fluvalinate and 91,900 ppb of coumaphos (“FC” group), (b) a combination of 9,800 ppb of chlorpyrifos and 53,700 ppb of chlorothalonil (“CC” group), or (c) 43,000 ppb of amitraz (“A” group). Control queens were reared in pesticide-free wax. Adult queens were allowed to mate naturally before being dissected. RNA isolated from brain tissue from three individuals per treatment group was sequenced using three technical replicates per queen. Using a cutoff log2 fold-change value of 1.5, we identified 247 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the FC group, 244 in the CC treatment group, and 668 in the A group, when comparing each group to the control. This is the first study to examine the sublethal effects of pesticides commonly found in wax (particularly amitraz) on the queen’s brain transcriptome. Future studies should further explore the relationship between our molecular findings and the queen’s behavior and physiology.
Thermally Stimulated Currents in Polyethylene Terephthalate due to Injected Charge

Thermally stimulated currents (TSC) from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) electrets have been investigated in the temperature range from -190 to +120°C. PET electrets were formed by applying a high field in a short time at various temperatures. Both dependencies of TSC on electrode metals (Au, Al) and the polarity of an applied field were remarkable in the temperature range above -40°C. The results indicate that electrons injected from the Al cathode greatly contribute to the TSC above -40°C and that the TSCs below -40°C for Al electrodes and at all temperatures for Au electrodes are mainly induced by the depolarization of dipoles.
On computing normalized coprime factorization of arbitrary rational matrices

We present a numerically reliable approach for computing the normalized coprime factorization of an arbitrary (possibly improper) rational matrix. We consider both the cases in which the factorization is coprime and normalized with respect to either the left half plane or the unit disk, corresponding to systems with continuous or discrete-time evolutions. The proposed algorithms remedy some numerical drawbacks of alternative methods available so far in the literature.
Management of Inflammatory Bowel Disease Using E-health Technologies: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract Background and Aims Technological advances have provided innovative, adaptive, and responsive models of care for inflammatory bowel diseases [IBD]. We conducted a systematic review to compare e-health interventions with standard care in management of IBD. Methods We searched electronic databases for randomised, controlled trials [RCT] comparing e-health interventions with standard care for patients with IBD. Effect measures were standardised mean difference [SMD], odds ratio [OR], or rate ratio [RR], calculated using the inverse variance or Mantel–Haenszel statistical method and random-effects models. Version 2 of the Cochrane tool was used to assess the risk of bias. The certainty of evidence was appraised with the GRADE framework Results Fourteen RCTs [n = 3111; 1754 e-health and 1357 controls] were identified. The difference in disease activity scores (SMD 0.09, 95% confidence interval [CI]: -0.09-0.28) and clinical remission (odds ratio [OR] 1.12, 95% CI: 0.78-1.61) between e-health interventions and standard care were not statistically significant. Higher quality of life [QoL] [SMD 0.20, 95% CI: 0.05-0.35) and IBD knowledge [SMD 0.23, 95% CI: 0.10-0.36] scores were noted in the e-health group, and self-efficacy levels [SMD -0.09, 95% CI: -0.22-0.05] were comparable. E-health patients had fewer office [RR 0.85, 95% CI: 0.78-0.93] and emergency [RR 0.70, 95% CI: 0.51- 0.95] visits, with no statistically significant difference in endoscopic procedures, total health care encounters, corticosteroid use, and IBD related hospitalisation or surgery. The trials were judged to be at high risk of bias or to have some concerns for disease remission. The certainty of evidence was moderate or low. Conclusion E-health technologies may have a role in value-based care in IBD.
Understanding persistent breathlessness: impact on patients and optimal approaches to symptomatic reduction – an overview

ABSTRACT Introduction Persistent breathlessness (breathlessness persisting despite optimal treatment for the underlying condition and resulting in disability) is a prevalent syndrome associated with chronic and life-limiting conditions. Improving the clinical recognition and assessment of persistent breathlessness is essential to ensure people are provided with the best treatment for optimal symptom control. Areas covered This overview focuses on the impact of persistent breathlessness on patients, carers and the health system. It highlights the importance of identifying persistent breathlessness in clinical consultations, suggests steps to recognize this syndrome and discusses the evidence for non-pharmacological and pharmacological treatments in this context. Future research directions are also suggested. Expert opinion Persistent breathlessness is often invisible because 1) people may not engage with the health system and 2) both clinicians and patients are reluctant to discuss breathlessness in clinical consultations. Improving the recognition and assessment of this syndrome is critical to facilitate meaningful conversations between patients and clinicians and ensure patient-centered care. Non-pharmacological strategies are key to improving symptom management and health outcomes. Regular, low-dose, sustained-release morphine may help further reduce breathlessness in people who remain symptomatic despite disease-specific and non-pharmacological therapies.