Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Atorvastatin: In-Vivo Synergy with Metronidazole as Anti-Blastocystis Therapy

Blastocystis is an enteric Straminopile in tropical, subtropical and developing countries. Metronidazole has been a chemotheraputic for blastocystosis. Failures in its regimens were reported and necessitate new studies searching for alternative therapeutic agents. Aim of current study is to investigate potential effects of Atorvastatin (AVA) compared to the conventional chemotherapeutic MTZ in experimentally Blastocystis-infected mice. Anti-Blastocystis efficacy of AVA was evaluated parasitologically, histopathologically and by transmission electron microscopy using MTZ (10 mg/kg) as a control. Therapeutic efficacy of AVA was apparently dose-dependent. Regimens of AVA (20 and 40 mg/kg) proved effective against Blastocystis infections with high reduction in Blastocystis shedding (93.4–97.9%) compared to MTZ (79.3%). The highest reductions (98.1% and 99.4%) were recorded in groups of combination treatments AVA 20–40 mg/kg and MTZ 10 mg/kg. Blastocystis was nearly eradicated by the 20th day post infection. Genotype analysis revealed that genotype I was most susceptible, genotype III was less. Histopathologic and ultrastructural studies revealed apoptotic changes in Blastocystis and significant improvement of intestinal histopathological changes more remarkable in combinational therapy groups. Thus, the present study offers AVA as a potential candidate for Blastocystis therapy combined with MTZ.
The Relationships of Self-Esteem, Future Time Perspective, Positive Affect, Social Support, and Career Decision: A Longitudinal Multilevel Study

This study aimed, first, to determine whether the intra-individual variability in positive affect was related to the intra-individual variability in career decision-making self-efficacy, and career choice anxiety. The second objective was to examine whether social support moderates the relationship between affect and these outcome variables. The third objective was to find out how career decision-making self-efficacy and career choice anxiety change according to self-esteem and future time perspective. We conducted a study using the daily diary method in which participants were asked to rate their affect or attitudes for 21 consecutive days. In total, 128 university students participated in this study. The main results were as follows. First, positive affect was associated positively with career decision-making self-efficacy and negatively with career choice anxiety. Second, social support had a synergy effect with positive affect to influence career choice anxiety. Third, self-esteem was related positively to career decision-making self-efficacy and negatively to career choice anxiety. We discuss theoretical and practical implications.
Name Norms: A Guide to Casting Your Next Experiment

Psychologists often test hypotheses by constructing vignettes depicting people engaging in behavior and displaying characteristics designed to operationalize specific variables. People described in these vignettes are typically given names, but names have a variety of connotations that could lead to unwanted variance between conditions of an experiment and in other ways have implications for the results of a study. An up-to-date source of information to help guide the selection of names would be useful for researchers. Participants from four different regions of the United States rated a large sample of names in terms of perceived age, warmth, and competence. The full set of names is presented, along with some simple demonstration studies concretely illustrating the implications of name choice.
Intraobserver and interobserver reproducibility of M-mode and B-mode acquired mitral annular plane systolic excursion (MAPSE) and its dependency on echocardiographic image quality in children

Background Mitral annular plane systolic excursion (MAPSE) is an increasingly used echocardiography technique to assess left ventricular (LV) function. However, reproducibility and dependence on echocardiographic image quality for MAPSE in pediatric patients have not been studied to date. Methods We analyzed 284 transthoracic echocardiograms performed on consecutive normotensive children without structural heart disease (mean age 12.6±3.1 years, 50.4% female). B-mode and M-mode derived MAPSE measurements were performed and analyzed regarding inter- and intraobserver reliability and the influence of echocardiographic image quality. Results Overall, MAPSE measurements were highly reproducible with only minor bias. Both inter- and intraobserver reliability were significantly better for M-mode derived MAPSE (p<0.001). Echocardiographic image quality did not significantly influence M-mode MAPSE reproducibility (p>0.235). In contrast, B-mode lateral MAPSE was significantly better reproducible in optimal image quality (-0.07±1.04) when compared to suboptimal echocardiographic images (0.42±1.59, p<0.001). Moreover, poor quality images yielded significantly lower M-mode MAPSE values (14.3±2 mm) than near-optimal (15.2±1.9 mm, p<0.001) or optimal images (15.1±2.2 mm, p = 0.006). Conclusion Echocardiographic image quality essentially has a negligible effect on MAPSE reproducibility and measurements. Consequently, MAPSE is a robust echocardiographic parameter with convincing reproducibility for the assessment of LV function in children—even in patients with substandard imaging conditions.
Female Sex and Gender in Lung/Sleep Health and Disease. Increased Understanding of Basic Biological, Pathophysiological, and Behavioral Mechanisms Leading to Better Health for Female Patients with Lung Disease

Abstract Female sex/gender is an undercharacterized variable in studies related to lung development and disease. Notwithstanding, many aspects of lung and sleep biology and pathobiology are impacted by female sex and female reproductive transitions. These may manifest as differential gene expression or peculiar organ development. Some conditions are more prevalent in women, such as asthma and insomnia, or, in the case of lymphangioleiomyomatosis, are seen almost exclusively in women. In other diseases, presentation differs, such as the higher frequency of exacerbations experienced by women with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or greater cardiac morbidity among women with sleep‐disordered breathing. Recent advances in ‐omics and behavioral science provide an opportunity to specifically address sex‐based differences and explore research needs and opportunities that will elucidate biochemical pathways, thus enabling more targeted/personalized therapies. To explore the status of and opportunities for research in this area, the NHLBI, in partnership with the NIH Office of Research on Women's Health and the Office of Rare Diseases Research, convened a workshop of investigators in Bethesda, Maryland on September 18 and 19, 2017. At the workshop, the participants reviewed the current understanding of the biological, behavioral, and clinical implications of female sex and gender on lung and sleep health and disease, and formulated recommendations that address research gaps, with a view to achieving better health outcomes through more precise management of female patients with nonneoplastic lung disease. This report summarizes those discussions.
Student's Strategies to Reduce Writing Apprehension (A Case Study on Zarqa University)

Writing apprehension is a serious problem faced by most ESL/EFL learners because their writing in the mother tongue is different than writing in the foreign language. The study attempted to fill-in the gap on writing apprehension. The objective of the study was to identify the strategies that the Jordanian undergraduate students those who are studying English language and literature at Zarqa University used to reduce writing apprehension. The researcher used qualitative case study. This research used purposive sampling in order to select information rich cases. Data collection was done through interviewing the Jordanian students. The researcher interviewed twenty one students in order to gain the strategies that the students used to reduce their apprehension of writing. In relation to the strategies, two main strategies were discovered by the students to reduce their apprehension of writing: Behavior strategy, and Expert review and feedback strategy. The study concluded that writing apprehension was a widespread phenomenon among the participants. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2016. v7n3s1p283
Lipoic Acid and Progesterone Alone or in Combination Ameliorate Retinal Degeneration in an Experimental Model of Hereditary Retinal Degeneration

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a group of inherited retinopathies characterized by photoreceptors death. Our group has shown the positive progesterone (P4) actions on cell death progression in an experimental model of RP. In an effort to enhance the beneficial effects of P4, the aim of this study was to combine P4 treatment with an antioxidant [lipoic acid (LA)] in the rd1 mice. rd1 and control mice were treated with 100 mg/kg body weight of P4, LA, or a combination of both on postnatal day 7 (PN7), 9, and 11, and were sacrificed at PN11. The administration of LA and/or P4 diminishes cell death in rd1 retinas. The effect obtained after the combined administration of LA and P4 is higher than the one obtained with LA or P4 alone. The three treatments decreased GFAP staining, however, in the far peripheral retina, and the two treatments that offered better results were LA and LA plus P4. LA or LA plus P4 increased retinal glutathione (GSH) concentration in the rd1 mice. Although LA and P4 are able to protect photoreceptors from death in rd1 mice retinas, a better effectiveness is achieved when administering LA and P4 at the same time.
A Double Blind, Randomized Cross-Over Trial of Tyrosine Treatment on Cognitive Function and Psychological Parameters in Severe Hospitalized Anorexia Nervosa Patients.

BACKGROUND Anorexia nervosa (AN) is characterized by self-induced malnutrition, affecting body image, mood, cognition and survival. Tyrosine, an essential amino acid is the precursor of catecholamines. The use of tyrosine to treat AN is based on experiments on diet restricted mice, in which it increased food consumption, improved cognitive function and elevated brain catecholamines. We evaluated the effect of oral tyrosine administration on the cognition and emotional state of patients with AN. We hypothesized that tyrosine may improve cognitive function without changing body weight, thus "kick-start" nutritional rehabilitation. METHODS 19 female hospitalized patients with chronic AN were supplemented with L-tyrosine (100 mg/kg/day)/ placebo capsules for a three-week period in a double blind, randomized, cross-over study. Participants were evaluated cognitively and psychologically. RESULTS Tyrosine shortened reaction time and test duration in memory tasks and improved depressive mood. No side effects were noted with the use of tyrosine. CONCLUSIONS Tyrosine may improve cognitive function and psychological traits associated with AN.
The fate of bovine bone marrow stromal cells in hydrogels: a comparison to nucleus pulposus cells and articular chondrocytes

Bone marrow‐derived stromal cells (BMSCs) are good candidates for cell‐based tissue regeneration. For such purposes, cell survival within three‐dimensional (3D) scaffolds is often desirable. We hypothesize that undifferentiated BMSCs will have difficulties thriving within these gels, in contrast to articular chondrocytes (ACs) and nucleus pulposus cells (NPCs), but that early chondrogenic differentiation of the former will increase their survival. BMSCs, ACs and NPCs cast in 1.2% alginate or 2% agarose were cultured for 21 days in serum‐containing media. BMSCs were also cultured in medium with 10 ng/ml TGF‐β1. By day 21, NPCs and ACs proliferated, maintained upregulation of aggrecan and collagen type II, produced glycosaminoglycans and stained positively for collagen type II in both scaffolds. In contrast, the number of living BMSCs and the DNA content of their constructs decreased in both scaffolds. Addition of TGF‐β1 resulted in cell survival and behaviour more similar (gene expression, glycosaminoglycan production and collagen type II synthesis) to ACs and NPCs. This study demonstrated that, unlike ACs and NPCs, undifferentiated BMSCs have more difficulty thriving within hydrogels, but that this can be improved by chondrogenic induction. Hence, immediate conditioning of BMSCs could be a worthwhile strategy. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Current Role of Lipoprotein Apheresis in the Treatment of High-Risk Patients

Lipoprotein apheresis (LA) is a therapeutic approach to save the lives of patients who are at an extremely high risk of developing cardiovascular events (CVE), especially after all other therapeutic options were not tolerated, or appeared not to be effective enough. Homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia represents a clear indication to start LA therapy. Another recognized indication is a severe hypercholesterolemia, which induced CVE, often in association with other risk factors. In the last years, an expressive elevation of lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)) emerged as an indication for LA. In Germany, progress of atherosclerosis should have been documented before the permission to start LA therapy is given in these patients. Usually, all LA methods acutely decrease both LDL-C and Lp(a). However, specific columns which reduce only Lp(a) are available. Case reports and prospective observations comparing the situation before and during LA therapy clearly show a high efficiency with respect to the reduction of CVE, especially in patients with high Lp(a) levels. PCSK9 inhibitors may reduce the need for LA in patients with heterozygous or polygenetic hypercholesterolemia, but in some patients, a combination of these drugs with LA will be necessary. In the future, an antisense oligonucleotide against apolipoprotein(a) may offer an alternative therapeutic approach.
Environmental Regulation and Firm Productivity in China: Estimates from a Regression Discontinuity Design

This paper estimates the effect of environmental regulation on firm productivity using a regression discontinuity design implicit in China’s water quality monitoring system. Because water quality readings are important for political evaluations, and the monitoring stations only capture emissions from their upstream regions, local governments are incentivized to enforce tighter environmental regulations on firms immediately upstream of a monitoring station, rather than those immediately downstream. Exploiting this discontinuity in regulation stringency with novel firm-level geocoded emission and production datasets, we find that upstream polluting firms face a 27% reduction in Total Factor Productivity (TFP), and a 48% reduction in emissions, as compared to their downstream counterparts. We find that the discontinuity in TFP does not exist in non-polluting industries, only emerged after the government explicitly linked political promotion to water quality readings, and was entirely driven by prefecture cities with incentivized mayors. A back of the envelope calculation indicates that China’s water-pollution abatement target (2016-2020) would lead to roughly one trillion Chinese Yuan loss in industrial output value.
Enhancing HEVC Compressed Videos with a Partition-Masked Convolutional Neural Network

In this paper, we propose a partition-masked Convolution Neural Network (CNN) to achieve compressed-video enhancement for the state-of-the-art coding standard, High Efficiency Video Coding (HECV). More precisely, our method utilizes the partition information produced by the encoder to guide the quality enhancement process. In contrast to existing CNN-based approaches, which only take the decoded frame as the input to the CNN, the proposed approach considers the coding unit (CU) size information and combines it with the distorted decoded frame such that the degradation introduced by HEVC is reduced more efficiently. Experimental results show that our approach leads to over 9.76% BD-rate saving on benchmark sequences, which achieves the state-of-the-art performance.
Microglial Phagocytosis and Its Regulation: A Therapeutic Target in Parkinson’s Disease?

The role of phagocytosis in the neuroprotective function of microglia has been appreciated for a long time, but only more recently a dysregulation of this process has been recognized in Parkinson’s disease (PD). Indeed, microglia play several critical roles in central nervous system (CNS), such as clearance of dying neurons and pathogens as well as immunomodulation, and to fulfill these complex tasks they engage distinct phenotypes. Regulation of phenotypic plasticity and phagocytosis in microglia can be impaired by defects in molecular machinery regulating critical homeostatic mechanisms, including autophagy. Here, we briefly summarize current knowledge on molecular mechanisms of microglia phagocytosis, and the neuro-pathological role of microglia in PD. Then we focus more in detail on the possible functional role of microglial phagocytosis in the pathogenesis and progression of PD. Evidence in support of either a beneficial or deleterious role of phagocytosis in dopaminergic degeneration is reported. Altered expression of target-recognizing receptors and lysosomal receptor CD68, as well as the emerging determinant role of α-synuclein (α-SYN) in phagocytic function is discussed. We finally discuss the rationale to consider phagocytic processes as a therapeutic target to prevent or slow down dopaminergic degeneration.
Ramadan Exposure In Utero and Child Mortality in Burkina Faso: Analysis of a Population-Based Cohort Including 41,025 Children

Ramadan exposure in utero can be regarded as a natural experiment with which to study how nutritional conditions in utero influence susceptibility to disease later in life. We analyzed data from rural Burkina Faso on 41,025 children born between 1993 and 2012, of whom 25,093 were born to Muslim mothers. Ramadan exposure was assigned on the basis of overlap between Ramadan dates and gestation, creating 7 exclusive categories. We used proportional hazards regression with difference-in-differences analysis to estimate the association between Ramadan exposure at different gestational ages and mortality among children under 5 years of age. Under-5 mortality was 32 deaths per 1,000 child-years. Under-5 mortality among Muslims was 15% higher than that among non-Muslims (P < 0.001). In the difference-in-differences analysis, the occurrence of Ramadan during conception or the first or second trimester was associated with higher under-5 mortality rates among Muslims only. The mortality rates of children born to Muslim mothers were 33%, 29%, and 22% higher when Ramadan occurred during conception, the first trimester, and the second trimester, respectively, compared with children of non-Muslim mothers born at the same time (P = 0.01, P < 0.001, and P = 0.007). Having a Muslim mother was not associated with mortality when the child was not exposed to Ramadan, born during Ramadan, or exposed during the third trimester. Observance of Ramadan during early pregnancy can have detrimental consequences for the future health of the unborn child.
Depression as a Risk Factor for the Initial Presentation of Twelve Cardiac, Cerebrovascular, and Peripheral Arterial Diseases: Data Linkage Study of 1.9 Million Women and Men

Background Depression is associated with coronary heart disease and stroke, but associations with a range of pathologically diverse cardiovascular diseases are not well understood. We examine the risk of 12 cardiovascular diseases according to depression status (history or new onset). Methods Cohort study of 1,937,360 adult men and women, free from cardiovascular disease at baseline, using linked UK electronic health records between 1997 and 2010. The exposures were new-onset depression (a new GP diagnosis of depression and/or prescription for antidepressants during a one-year baseline), and history of GP-diagnosed depression before baseline. The primary endpoint was initial presentation of 12 cardiovascular diseases after baseline. We used disease-specific Cox proportional hazards models with multiple imputation adjusting for cardiovascular risk factors (age, sex, socioeconomic status, smoking, blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol). Results Over a median [IQR] 6.9 [2.1–10.5] years of follow-up, 18.9% had a history of depression and 94,432 incident cardiovascular events occurred. After adjustment for cardiovascular risk factors, history of depression was associated with: stable angina (Hazard Ratio = 1.38, 95%CI 1.32–1.45), unstable angina (1.70, 1.60–1.82), myocardial infarction (1.21, 1.16–1.27), unheralded coronary death (1.23, 1.14–1.32), heart failure (1.18, 1.13–1.24), cardiac arrest (1.14, 1.03–1.26), transient ischemic attack (1.31, 1.25–1.38), ischemic stroke (1.26, 1.18–1.34), subarachnoid haemorrhage (1.17, 1.01–1.35), intracerebral haemorrhage (1.30, 1.17–1.45), peripheral arterial disease (1.24, 1.18–1.30), and abdominal aortic aneurysm (1.12,1.01–1.24). New onset depression developed in 2.9% of people, among whom 63,761 cardiovascular events occurred. New onset depression was similarly associated with each of the 12 diseases, with no evidence of stronger associations compared to history of depression. The strength of association between depression and these cardiovascular diseases did not differ between women and men. Conclusion Depression was prospectively associated with cardiac, cerebrovascular, and peripheral diseases, with no evidence of disease specificity. Further research is needed in understanding the specific pathophysiology of heart and vascular disease triggered by depression in healthy populations.
THE IMPACT OF MEDICAID EXPANSIONS ON MORTALITY

Previous research found that Medicaid expansions in New York, Arizona, and Maine in the early 2000’s reduced mortality. I revisit this question with improved data and methods, exploring distinct causes of death and presenting a cost-benefit analysis. Differences-in-differences analysis using a propensity-score control group shows that all-cause mortality declined by 6%, with the most robust reductions for healthcare-amenable causes. HIV-related mortality (affected by the recent introduction of antiretrovirals) accounted for 20% of the effect. Mortality changes were closely linked to county-level coverage gains, with one life saved annually for every 239316 adults gaining insurance. The results imply a cost-per-life saved ranging from $327,000 to $867,000, which compares favorably to most estimates of the value of a statistical life.
Long-Term Health Implications of Students' Friendship Formation during the Transition to University.

BACKGROUND The transition to university is a major life change wherein young adults' primary support system shifts from the family to peers. Can change in social integration (operationalised as number of friends) during the first term at university contribute to students' health years later, and if so, how? METHODS The friendship formation of 67 students at a large Canadian university was assessed during their first term. These data were used to predict self-reported health and health behaviors (physical exercise, diet, tobacco, alcohol and marijuana consumption) at a follow-up assessment that occurred near the end of their time at university (2 or 3 years later). RESULTS Linear regression models showed that students who made more friends in their first term reported better health and a healthier diet at the follow-up (2 or 3 years later). Perceived social support at the follow-up mediated the relationship between friendship formation and self-reported health but not diet. CONCLUSIONS This study provides evidence for both (1) an indirect effect of friendship formation on self-reported health via perceived social support, and (2) a direct effect of friendship formation on a healthy diet. Broadly, these results highlight the importance of friendship formation and social integration for the long-term well-being of university students.