Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Feasibility of dual-resolution cone beam breast CT: a simulation study

The feasibility of using the dual-resolution cone beam breast CT technique to obtain high-resolution images inside a selected volume-of-interest (VOI). The spatial resolution improvement, dose saving and scatter reduction with this technique are studied and demonstrated with simulations. With the dual-resolution cone beam CT technique, the breast is first scanned with a low resolution detector at a lower exposure level. A selected volume-of-interest (VOI) in the breast is then scanned with a small field, high-resolution detector at a higher exposure level. The two image sets are then combined together to reconstruct high-resolution 3-D images for the VOI. The spatial resolution that can be achieved was estimated by obtaining 3-D images of point objects and use them to compute the MTFs for evaluation as a function of the geometric magnification, detector blurring function and focal spot size. Monte Carlo simulation based on the Geant4 package was used to estimate the degree of dose saving and scatter reduction for a cylinder shaped breast phantom. The VOI images generated with the dual-resolution cone beam CT technique demonstrated the same visibility of micro-calcifications as those generated with the full-breast, high resolution image acquisition. It has been shown that the spatial resolution can be increased by factor of 1.2 with smaller focal spot size and larger magnification. With the exposure level outside the VOI reduced by a factor of 15, scatter components can be reduced by a factor of 5.5 or greater in and outside the VOI. Dose can be reduced by a factor of 5.5 inside the VOI and up to 20 outside the VOI. We have demonstrated that high spatial resolution inside the VOI may be achieved with a high-resolution detector (e.g. CCD/CsI), reduced focal spot size (0.3 mm), and optimized geometrical magnification (e.g.1.63). Exposure reduction outside the VOI has been shown to reduce the scatter components in the high-resolution projection image data for the VOI. This has also led to significantly lowered doses inside and outside the VOI.
How important is the N-terminal acetylation of alpha-synuclein for its function and aggregation into amyloids?

N-α-acetylation is a frequently occurring post-translational modification in eukaryotic proteins. It has manifold physiological consequences on the regulation and function of several proteins, with emerging studies suggesting that it is a global regulator of stress responses. For decades, in vitro biochemical investigations into the precise role of the intrinsically disordered protein alpha-synuclein (αS) in the etiology of Parkinson’s disease (PD) were performed using non-acetylated αS. The N-terminus of α-synuclein is now unequivocally known to be acetylated in vivo, however, there are many aspects of this post-translational modifications that are not understood well. Is N-α-acetylation of αS a constitutive modification akin to most cellular proteins, or is it spatio-temporally regulated? Is N-α-acetylation of αS relevant to the as yet elusive function of αS? How does the N-α-acetylation of αS influence the aggregation of αS into amyloids? Here, we provide an overview of the current knowledge and discuss prevailing hypotheses on the impact of N-α-acetylation of αS on its conformational, oligomeric, and fibrillar states. The extent to which N-α-acetylation of αS is vital for its function, membrane binding, and aggregation into amyloids is also explored here. We further discuss the overall significance of N-α-acetylation of αS for its functional and pathogenic implications in Lewy body formation and synucleinopathies.
Paternal epigenetic influences on placental health and their impacts on offspring development and disease

Our efforts to understand the developmental origins of birth defects and disease have primarily focused on maternal exposures and intrauterine stressors. Recently, research into non-genomic mechanisms of inheritance has led to the recognition that epigenetic factors carried in sperm also significantly impact the health of future generations. However, although researchers have described a range of potential epigenetic signals transmitted through sperm, we have yet to obtain a mechanistic understanding of how these paternally-inherited factors influence offspring development and modify life-long health. In this endeavor, the emerging influence of the paternal epigenetic program on placental development, patterning, and function may help explain how a diverse range of male exposures induce comparable intergenerational effects on offspring health. During pregnancy, the placenta serves as the dynamic interface between mother and fetus, regulating nutrient, oxygen, and waste exchange and coordinating fetal growth and maturation. Studies examining intrauterine maternal stressors routinely describe alterations in placental growth, histological organization, and glycogen content, which correlate with well-described influences on infant health and adult onset of disease. Significantly, the emergence of similar phenotypes in models examining preconception male exposures indicates that paternal stressors transmit an epigenetic memory to their offspring that also negatively impacts placental function. Like maternal models, paternally programmed placental dysfunction exerts life-long consequences on offspring health, particularly metabolic function. Here, focusing primarily on rodent models, we review the literature and discuss the influences of preconception male health and exposure history on placental growth and patterning. We emphasize the emergence of common placental phenotypes shared between models examining preconception male and intrauterine stressors but note that the direction of change frequently differs between maternal and paternal exposures. We posit that alterations in placental growth, histological organization, and glycogen content broadly serve as reliable markers of altered paternal developmental programming, predicting the emergence of structural and metabolic defects in the offspring. Finally, we suggest the existence of an unrecognized developmental axis between the male germline and the extraembryonic lineages that may have evolved to enhance fetal adaptation.
Leptospira borgpetersenii serovar Hardjo and Leptospira santarosai serogroup Pyrogenes isolated from bovine dairy herds in Puerto Rico

Leptospirosis is one of the most common zoonotic diseases in the world and endemic in the Caribbean Islands. Bovine leptospirosis is an important reproductive disease. Globally, cattle are recognized as a reservoir host for L. borgpetersenii serovar Hardjo, which is transmitted via urine, semen, and uterine discharges, and can result in abortion and poor reproductive performance. The dairy industry in Puerto Rico comprises up to 25% of agriculture-related income and is historically the most financially important agricultural commodity on the island. In this study, we report the isolation of two different pathogenic Leptospira species, from two different serogroups, from urine samples collected from dairy cows in Puerto Rico: L. borgpetersenii serogroup Sejroe serovar Hardjo and L. santarosai serogroup Pyrogenes. Recovered isolates were classified using whole-genome sequencing, serotyping with reference antisera and monoclonal antibodies, and immunoblotting. These results demonstrate that dairy herds in Puerto Rico can be concurrently infected with more than one species and serovar of Leptospira, and that bacterin vaccines and serologic diagnostics should account for this when applying intervention and diagnostic strategies.
N=2 Liouville theory with boundary

We study N = 2 Liouville theory with arbitrary central charge in the presence of boundaries. After reviewing the theory on the sphere and deriving some important structure constants, we investigate the boundary states of the theory from two approaches, one using the modular transformation property of annulus amplitudes and the other using the bootstrap of disc two-point functions containing degenerate bulk operators. The boundary interactions describing the boundary states are also proposed, based on which the precise correspondence between boundary states and boundary interactions is obtained. The open string spectrum between D-branes is studied from the modular bootstrap approach and also from the reflection relation of boundary operators, providing a consistency check for the proposal.
Evaluating brain functioning with NIRS in sports: Cerebral oxygenation and cortical activation are two sides of the same coin

COPYRIGHT © 2022 Perrey. 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. Evaluating brain functioning with NIRS in sports: Cerebral oxygenation and cortical activation are two sides of the same coin
DYNAMIC MODELLING OF CONCRETE RAILWAY SLEEPERS

Abstract A simple dynamic model of monobloc concrete railway sleepers of non-uniform cross-section has been derived by reference to experimental data for about the first six resonance frequencies of 12 different types of sleeper. It is demonstrated that a sleeper is well modelled as a uniform Timoshenko beam the effective flexural rigidity, cross-sectional area and radius of gyration of which are found from the sleeper's mass and length, and from the cross-sectional geometry of the railseat and centre. An effective young's modulus for all the sleepers of 52·4 GPa was calculated for the prestressed concrete from measured resonant frequencies for four prismatic sleepers of different lengths. An effective density of 2750 kg/m3was also calculated from these sleepers. Data for the uniform sleepers in particular indicate that it may be unwise to expect any model to predict natural frequencies to better than a few percent.
Energy metabolism in skeletal muscle cells from donors with different body mass index

Obesity and physical inactivity have a profound impact on skeletal muscle metabolism. In the present work, we have investigated differences in protein expression and energy metabolism in primary human skeletal muscle cells established from lean donors (BMI<25 kg/m2) and individuals with obesity (BMI>30 kg/m2). Furthermore, we have studied the effect of fatty acid pretreatment on energy metabolism in myotubes from these donor groups. Alterations in protein expression were investigated using proteomic analysis, and energy metabolism was studied using radiolabeled substrates. Gene Ontology enrichment analysis showed that glycolytic, apoptotic, and hypoxia pathways were upregulated, whereas the pentose phosphate pathway was downregulated in myotubes from donors with obesity compared to myotubes from lean donors. Moreover, fatty acid, glucose, and amino acid uptake were increased in myotubes from individuals with obesity. However, fatty acid oxidation was reduced, glucose oxidation was increased in myotubes from subjects with obesity compared to cells from lean. Pretreatment of myotubes with palmitic acid (PA) or eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) for 24 h increased glucose oxidation and oleic acid uptake. EPA pretreatment increased the glucose and fatty acid uptake and reduced leucine fractional oxidation in myotubes from donors with obesity. In conclusion, these results suggest that myotubes from individuals with obesity showed increased fatty acid, glucose, and amino acid uptake compared to cells from lean donors. Furthermore, myotubes from individuals with obesity had reduced fatty acid oxidative capacity, increased glucose oxidation, and a higher glycolytic reserve capacity compared to cells from lean donors. Fatty acid pretreatment enhances glucose metabolism, and EPA reduces oleic acid and leucine fractional oxidation in myotubes from donor with obesity, suggesting increased metabolic flexibility after EPA treatment.
Optimal modes of mind-body exercise for treating chronic non-specific low back pain: Systematic review and network meta-analysis

Background There were limited studies that directly compare the outcomes of various mind-body exercise (MBE) therapies on chronic non-specific low back pain (CNLBP). Objectives To compare the efficacy of the four most popular MBE modes [Pilates, Yoga, Tai Chi (TC), and Qigong] in clinically CNLBP patients, we conducted a systematic review and network meta-analysis (NMA). Methods We searched databases for eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs) (from origin to July 2022). RCTs were eligible if they included adults with CNLBP, and implemented one or more MBE intervention arms using Pilates, yoga, TC, and qigong. In addition, pain intensity and physical function were evaluated using validated questionnaires. Results NMA was carried out on 36 eligible RCTs involving 3,050 participants. The effect of exercise therapy on pain was in the following rankings: Pilates [Surface under cumulative ranking (SUCRA) = 86.6%], TC (SUCRA = 77.2%), yoga (SUCRA = 67.6%), and qigong (SUCRA = 64.6%). The effect of exercise therapy on function: Pilates (SUCRA = 98.4%), qigong (SUCRA = 61.6%,), TC (SUCRA = 59.5%) and yoga (SUCRA = 59.0%). Conclusion Our NMA shows that Pilates might be the best MBE therapy for CNLBP in pain intensity and physical function. TC is second only to Pilates in improving pain in patients with CNLBP and has the value of promotion. In the future, we need more high-quality, long-term follow-up RCTs to confirm our findings. Systematic review registration https://www.crd. york.ac. uk/PROSPERO/display_record. php? RecordID=306905, identifier: CRD42022306905.
A man-made divide: Investigating the effect of urban–rural household registration and subjective social status on mental health mediated by loneliness among a large sample of university students in China

Introduction The urban–rural household registration system in China has been documented with profound social consequences in almost all areas of people’s life. This study aims to investigate the underlying mechanism of the rural and urban discrepancies on mental health conditions among a large sample of college students in China. Methods A survey was distributed among college students in China. A total of 96,218 college students from 63 colleges completed the survey, answering questions on their urban–rural household registration, disposable household income, subjective social status, feelings of loneliness, and anxiety and depression symptoms. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) analyses were conducted, testing the effect of urban–rural registration on one’s mental health, mediated by subjective social status, and loneliness. Results Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) results revealed that the urban–rural household registration showed a direct effect on anxiety (B = −0.03, 95% CI [−0.038, −0.022], β = −0.03, p < 0.001) and depression (B = −0.03, 95% CI [−0.035, −0.023], β = −0.03, p < 0.001), indicating that rural household registration had a negative association with anxiety and depression symptoms, albeit the standardised estimate being very small. The indirect path from the urban–rural registration mediated through subjective social status and loneliness to anxiety and depression was both significant, with B = 0.01, 95% CI [0.010, 0.010], β = 0.01, p < 0.001, and B = 0.01, 95% CI [0.0090, 0.0090], β = 0.01, p < 0.001, respectively. The results of the indirect paths demonstrated that students of the rural household registration reported higher anxiety and depression symptoms through a lower subjective social status and higher level of loneliness. Conclusion This study indicated that decreasing the disparity of social status and tackling loneliness is the key to improve the overall mental health of college students. The urban–rural household registration system may have a very small direct effect on the college students’ mental health; but students of urban registration enjoyed higher subjective social status, which had a clear protective effect against anxiety and depression symptoms.
The Information Measurement and Characterization of Polarization Coherent Light Based on Stokes Parameters

Polarization coherent optical information has a wide range of applications in information coding, communication and bioassay. Based on the characteristics of polarization coherent light, we introduced a method to measure and which were used for information coding in continuous variables coherent optical communication in this paper. Then we introduced an experimental technique for getting the information of polarized light by analysizing the intensity distribution of polarization state in polarization speckle, and how to apply this technology in the identification and analysis of biological tissues. By analysizing a Mueller matrix which is used to characterize the coherent information obtained from the measurement of the Stokes parameters, we can get some properties of biological tissues.
Immunomodulatory role of metalloproteinase ADAM17 in tumor development

ADAM17 is a member of the a disintegrin and metalloproteinase (ADAM) family of transmembrane proteases involved in the shedding of some cell membrane proteins and regulating various signaling pathways. More than 90 substrates are regulated by ADAM17, some of which are closely relevant to tumor formation and development. Besides, ADAM17 is also responsible for immune regulation and its substrate-mediated signal transduction. Recently, ADAM17 has been considered as a major target for the treatment of tumors and yet its immunomodulatory roles and mechanisms remain unclear. In this paper, we summarized the recent understanding of structure and several regulatory roles of ADAM17. Importantly, we highlighted the immunomodulatory roles of ADAM17 in tumor development, as well as small molecule inhibitors and monoclonal antibodies targeting ADAM17.
Joint effects of carotid plaques and renal impairment on the risk of cardiovascular disease and all-cause death in a community-based population: The Kailuan cohort study

Objective It is unknown whether renal impairment and atherosclerosis increase the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and death. Atherosclerosis already raises the risk of CVD and all-cause death. This study investigated the joint effects of carotid plaques and renal impairment on CVD and all-cause death in community-based populations. Methods The study cohort consisted of 20,416 participants from the Kailuan Study who completed a carotid plaque ultrasound in 2012. A glomerular filtration rate (GFR) of < 60 ml/min or trace semiquantitative proteinuria or higher were both considered signs of renal insufficiency. We divided them into four groups according to the presence of carotid plaque and renal impairment. These groups were categorized as no carotid plaque, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) ≥ 60 ml/min, and proteinuria < trace; no carotid plaque, eGFR < 60 ml/min, and proteinuria ≥ trace; carotid plaque, eGFR ≥ 60 ml/min and proteinuria < trace; and carotid plaque, eGFR < 60 ml/min, and proteinuria ≥ trace, respectively. We investigated the combined effect of renal impairment and carotid plaque on cardiovascular events and all-cause death in the Kailuan community-based population. Result Participants with carotid plaque, eGFR < 60 ml/min and proteinuria had a 2.88-fold higher risk of all-cause death (95% CI, 2.18–3.80), which was significantly higher than those with lone factors (HR, 1.57; 95% CI, 1.04–2.36; and HR, 1.91; 95% CI, 1.56–2.32), compared to participants with no carotid plaque, eGFR ≥ 60 ml/min and proteinuria <trace group. Participants with carotid plaque, eGFR < 60 ml/min, and proteinuria had a 1.05-fold higher risk of CVD (95% CI, 0.82–1.35), which was not higher than those with alone factors (HR, 1.35; 95% CI, 1.02–1.80; and HR, 1.12; 95% CI, 0.96–1.30), compared to participants with no carotid plaque, eGFR ≥ 60 ml/min and proteinuria <trace group. Stratified analysis by age, participants with the carotid plaque, eGFR < 60 ml/min and proteinuria had a 2.98-fold higher risk of all-cause death (95% CI: 2.24–3.96), which was significantly higher than participants with lone factors (HR, 1.68; 95% CI, 1.10–2.59; and HR, 1.95; 95% CI, 1.59–2.40), compared to participants with no carotid plaque, eGFR ≥ 60 ml/min and proteinuria <trace group in the age of ≥ 50 years. Participants with carotid plaque, eGFR < 60 ml/min and proteinuria had a 1.66-fold higher risk of CVD (95% CI: 1.29–2.25), which was significantly higher than participants with lone factors (HR, 1.63; 95% CI, 1.20–2.22, and HR, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.11–1.49), compared to participants with no carotid plaque, eGFR ≥ 60 ml/min and proteinuria <trace group, in the age of ≥ 50 years. Conclusion The joint of carotid plaques and renal impairment may further increase the risk of CVD and all-cause death compared with participants with alone factors in the age of ≥ 50 years, but not in the age of < 50 years, from a community-based study.
Concise representation of generalised gradients

Computing the generalised gradient directly using its standard definition can involve forming the convex hull of a very large number of vectors. Here an alternative concise parametrization is developed for the generalised gradient of the signed rank regression family of objective functions, a class of piecewise linear functions which includes both convex and nonconvex members. The approach uses the geometry of the epigraph explicitly and this suggests extensions to more general functions. A nondegeneracy condition is assumed which is natural in optimization problems.