Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A research on the effects of successful aging on the acceptance and use of technology of the elderly

ABSTRACT The aim of the study is to analyze the effects of successful aging on technology acceptance and use behaviors, via developing a model. This study was conducted with 687 participants in five Retirement Rest Homes in Turkey. A model was developed to meet the study’s research objectives using the scales of successful aging and the second unified theory of acceptance and use of technology. A path analysis was performed with Partial Least Squares (PLS) structural equation model. Struggle Against Difficulties (SAD) significantly predicted performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, facilitating conditions, hedonic motivation, price value, habit, and behavior intention, even though SAD did not predict USE. HLH significantly predicted performance expectancy, social influence and facilitating conditions; HLH did not predict effort expectancy, hedonic motivation, price 15 value, habit, behavior intention, and USE. It was revealed that successful aging affected the technology acceptance model in general except the use of technology. It is recommended for future studies that successful aging should be evaluated with varied model studies.
Development and Evaluation of Physiologically Based Pharmacokinetic Drug–Disease Models for Predicting Rifampicin Exposure in Tuberculosis and Cirrhosis Populations

The physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) approach facilitates the construction of novel drug–disease models by allowing incorporation of relevant pathophysiological changes. The aim of the present work was to explore and identify the differences in rifampicin pharmacokinetics (PK) after the application of its single dose in healthy and diseased populations by using PBPK drug–disease models. The Simcyp® simulator was used as a platform for modeling and simulation. The model development process was initiated by predicting rifampicin PK in healthy population after intravenous (i.v) and oral administration. Subsequent to successful evaluation in healthy population, the pathophysiological changes in tuberculosis and cirrhosis population were incorporated into the developed model for predicting rifampicin PK in these populations. The model evaluation was performed by using visual predictive checks and the comparison of mean observed/predicted ratios (ratio(Obs/pred)) of the PK parameters. The predicted PK parameters in the healthy population were in adequate harmony with the reported clinical data. The incorporation of pathophysiological changes in albumin concentration in the tuberculosis population revealed improved prediction of clearance. The developed PBPK drug–disease models have efficiently described rifampicin PK in tuberculosis and cirrhosis populations after administering single drug dose, as the ratio(Obs/pred) for all the PK parameters were within a two-fold error range. The mechanistic nature of the developed PBPK models may facilitate their extension to other diseases and drugs.
Analysis of Melanoma in African American Patients in the United States

Background/Aim: To characterize the demographics, tumor staging and treatment of African American (AA) patients diagnosed with melanoma in the United States. Patients and Methods: The National Cancer Database was used to extrapolate data from patients with melanoma between January 1, 2004, and December 31, 2015. The patients were then further divided based on ethnicity (AAs vs. Caucasians) to compare patient efficacy of treatment. Results: The mean time for AA patients to receive treatment was 20.37 days compared with 11.25 days for Caucasians (p<0.001), while time to surgery was 38.86 days compared to 31.12 days for Caucasians (p<0.001). Moreover, AA race was a predictor of American Joint Committee on Cancer stage greater than II, tumor diagnosed at autopsy, presence of ulceration, and distribution in the extremities. Conclusion: AA patients with melanoma are more likely to have worse tumor staging, treatment delay, treatment at an Integrated Cancer Program, and diagnosis at autopsy.
Maternal Dietary Intake of Omega-3 Fatty Acids Correlates Positively with Regional Brain Volumes in 1-Month-Old Term Infants.

Maternal nutrition is an important factor for infant neurodevelopment. However, prior magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies on maternal nutrients and infant brain have focused mostly on preterm infants or on few specific nutrients and few specific brain regions. We present a first study in term-born infants, comprehensively correlating 73 maternal nutrients with infant brain morphometry at the regional (61 regions) and voxel (over 300 000 voxel) levels. Both maternal nutrition intake diaries and infant MRI were collected at 1 month of life (0.9 ± 0.5 months) for 92 term-born infants (among them, 54 infants were purely breastfed and 19 were breastfed most of the time). Intake of nutrients was assessed via standardized food frequency questionnaire. No nutrient was significantly correlated with any of the volumes of the 61 autosegmented brain regions. However, increased volumes within subregions of the frontal cortex and corpus callosum at the voxel level were positively correlated with maternal intake of omega-3 fatty acids, retinol (vitamin A) and vitamin B12, both with and without correction for postmenstrual age and sex (P < 0.05, q < 0.05 after false discovery rate correction). Omega-3 fatty acids remained significantly correlated with infant brain volumes after subsetting to the 54 infants who were exclusively breastfed, but retinol and vitamin B12 did not. This provides an impetus for future larger studies to better characterize the effect size of dietary variation and correlation with neurodevelopmental outcomes, which can lead to improved nutritional guidance during pregnancy and lactation.
Effects of surface pre-reacted glass-ionomer (S-PRG) eluate on Candida spp.: antifungal activity, anti-biofilm properties, and protective effects on Galleria mellonella against C. albicans infection

Abstract Surface pre-reacted glass-ionomer (S-PRG) is a bioactive filler produced by PRG technology, which is applied to various dental materials. The inhibitory effects of S-PRG eluate against Candida, the most common fungal oral pathogen, were investigated. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) and anti-biofilm activities were tested against Candida albicans, Candida glabrata, Candida krusei, and Candida tropicalis. For the in vivo study, Galleria mellonella was used as a model to evaluate the effects of S-PRG on toxicity, hemocyte counts and candidiasis. The MIC of S-PRG ranged from 5 to 40% (v/v). S-PRG eluate exhibited anti-biofilm activity for all the Candida species tested. Furthermore, injection of S-PRG eluate into G. mellonella was not toxic to the larvae and protected G. mellonella against experimental candidiasis. In addition, S-PRG eluate inhibited biofilm formation by C. albicans, C. glabrata, C. krusei, and C. tropicalis and exerted protective effects on G. mellonella against experimental candidiasis in vivo.
Triazole Modified Tetraiodothyroacetic Acid Conjugated to Polyethylene Glycol: High Affinity Thyrointegrin αvβ3 Antagonist with Potent Anticancer Activities in Glioblastoma Multiforme.

Discovery of bioactive molecules that target integrins has implicated their role in tumor angiogenesis, tumor growth, metastasis, and other pathological angiogenesis processes. Integrins are members of a family of cell surface receptors that play a critical role in the angiogenesis process. Tetraiodothyroacetic acid (tetrac), a deaminated derivative of L-thyroxine (T4), is a "thyrointegrin" antagonist that blocks the actions of L-triiodothyronine (T3) and T4 with an interaction site that is located at or near the RGD recognition site identified on integrin αvβ3's binding pocket (thyrointegrin αvβ3 receptors). We have enhanced the biological activity of a tetrac-based inhibitor via significantly improving its αvβ3 receptor binding affinity by introducing a triazole ring on the outer ring of tetrac and covalently conjugating to polymer to increase the product's hydrophilicity via PEGylation. The product, P-bi-TAT, was restricted from nuclear translocation and demonstrated high blood brain barrier permeability and retention in contrast to the non-PEG conjugated derivative. Results of biological activity indicated that this macromolecule new chemical entity P-bi-TAT has greater than 400-fold potent integrin αvβ3 affinity versus the parent compound tetrac and has potent anticancer/anti-angiogenesis efficacy against glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). P-bi-TAT administered subcutaneously once daily for 21 days at 1-10 mg/kg mouse body weight resulted in a dose-dependent suppression of GBM tumor growth and viability as monitored with IVIS imaging (P <0.001). GBM tumors had >95% volume loss and maximal loss of GBM cell viability during the 21 days ON treatment experiment as well as in the 21 days ON followed by 21 days OFF-treatment experiment (P < 0.001). In conclusion, P-bi-TAT is a promising lead clinical candidate effective in the treatment of human GBM.
The Association of UNC13B Gene Polymorphisms and Diabetic Kidney Disease in a Chinese Han Population

Background Polymorphisms in the UNC13B gene are associated with diabetic kidney disease (DKD) in the European population. Asian populations are more likely to suffer from complications of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), including diabetic kidney disease (DKD). This case-control study aimed to investigate the association between UNC13B gene polymorphisms and DKD in a Chinese Han population. Material/Methods Five single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) loci (rs13293564, rs17360668, rs10114937, rs661712, and rs2281999) were genotyped in the UNC13B gene in 600 Chinese Han subjects. The study population included patients with T2DM with DKD (N=292) and control patients with T2DM without DKD (N=308). SNP genotyping was performed using a Sequenom MassARRAY system using chip-based matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). Results There were no significant differences in the distribution of allele or genotype frequencies in the five UNC13B SNP markers (rs13293564, rs17360668, rs10114937, rs661712, and rs2281999) between the DKD group and control group of patients with T2DM. Haplotype analysis identified eight haplotypes for the combined effect of the five SNP markers in the UNC13B gene. The haplotype GGCCG was significantly associated with an increased risk of DKD. Conclusions This was the first study to demonstrate an association between UNC13B gene polymorphisms and the susceptibility to DKD in a Chinese Han population with T2DM. The haplotype GGCCG was significantly associated with an increased risk of DKD. The findings highlight the joint effect of SNP markers in the pathogenesis of DKD.
Genome-wide association study identifies SIAH3 locus influencing the rate of ventricular enlargement in non-demented elders

Ventricular enlargement occurs in several neurodegenerative and psychiatric diseases. A large genome-wide association study (GWAS) has identified seven loci associated with ventricular volume. The rate of ventricular enlargement increased in the progression of disease from normal cognition to dementia. Here, we aimed to use the rate of ventricular enlargement as an endophenotype for the development and progression of neurodegenerative diseases to discover more common genetic variants. We performed a GWAS of the rate of ventricular enlargement using 507 nondemented non-Hispanic white participants from the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) cohort. Linear regression model was used to identify the association of the rate of ventricular enlargement with single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in PLINK software. The associations of genome-wide significant SNPs with other four phenotypes were further discussed. Two SNPs (rs11620312, P = 4.04×10−8; rs79174114, P = 4.28×10−8) within SIAH3 gene in linkage disequilibrium (LD) reached genome-wide significance for association with increased rate of ventricular enlargement. Some intergenic SNPs and SNPs within NKAIN2, TBC1D2, GALNT18, ABCC1 and SRCIN1 genes were identified as potential candidates. SIAH3 rs11620312-C carriers were associated with poor cognition and brain hypometabolism longitudinally. Our findings indicated that SIAH3 gene may have potential influence on the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases.
Impact of renin-angiotensin system inhibitors on clinical outcomes in patients with severe aortic stenosis undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement: an analysis of from the PARTNER 2 trial and registries.

AIMS Left ventricular pressure overload is associated with activation of the cardiac renin-angiotensin system, which may contribute to myocardial fibrosis and worse clinical outcomes. We sought to assess the association between treatment with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) or angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) at baseline and clinical outcomes in patients with symptomatic, severe aortic stenosis (AS) undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) in the PARTNER 2 trial and registries. METHODS AND RESULTS A total of 3979 intermediate, high, or prohibitive risk patients who underwent TAVR in the PARTNER 2 trial and registries (excluding the valve in valve registry) were included in the study. Clinical outcomes at 2 years were compared according to baseline ACEI/ARB treatment status using Kaplan-Meier event rates and study-stratified multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models. Sensitivity analysis was conducted using propensity score matching. Of 3979 patients who were included in the current analysis, 1736 (43.6%) were treated and 2243 (56.4%) were not treated with ACEI/ARB at baseline. Treatment with ACEI/ARB was associated with lower 2-year all-cause mortality (18.6% vs. 27.5%, P < 0.0001), cardiovascular mortality (12.3% vs. 17.9%, P < 0.0001), and non-cardiovascular mortality (7.2% vs. 11.7%, P < 0.0001). Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor/ARB treatment at baseline remained independently associated with a lower hazard of 2-year all-cause and cardiovascular mortality after multivariable adjustment, and propensity score matching. CONCLUSION In a large cohort of patients with severe symptomatic AS from the PARTNER 2 trial and registries, ACEI/ARB treatment at baseline was independently associated with a lower risk of 2-year all-cause and cardiovascular mortality.
Correlates of self-esteem among the Lebanese population: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND To the best of our knowledge, no studies have been conducted in order to assess the correlation of these factors with the self-esteem in Lebanon. Therefore, this study aims to assess risk factors associated with self- esteem among a representative sample of the Lebanese population. SUBJECTS AND METHODS A cross-sectional, conducted between November 2017 and March 2018, enrolled 789 participants. Self-esteem was measured using the Rosenberg scale. An exploratory factor analysis was executed to detect patterns of risk factors associated with self-esteem from our sample. A cluster analysis was then performed with the identified factor scores to identify the different profiles of the participants. RESULTS Relationship management (Beta=0.117), emotional awareness (Beta=0.074) and personal accomplishment (Beta=0.064) were associated with a higher self-esteem, whereas high depression (Beta=-0.102), alexithymia (Beta=-0.077), burnout depersonalization (Beta=-0.078), suicidal ideation (Beta=-0.391) were associated with a lower self-esteem. Factor 1 (High emotional intelligence & low depersonalization) (Beta=1.819) was associated with increased self-esteem, whereas Factor 2 (High suicidal ideation, high alcohol dependence, high depression and anxiety) and Factor 3 (High burnout, high stress and high alexithymia) were associated with decreased self-esteem (Beta=-1.380 and Beta=-0.751) respectively. Being widowed (Beta=-2.332), belonging to cluster 1 (People with emotional dysregulation) (Beta=-2.850) and cluster 2 (People in distress) (Beta=-3.660) were significantly associated with decreased self-esteem. CONCLUSIONS Depression, anxiety, burnout, stress, low emotional intelligence, alexithymia, suicide ideation, alcohol dependence and many other factors can be prevented, or reduced, by interventions that improve self-esteem.
Prevalence of cervical spine degenerative changes in elderly population and its weak association with aging, neck pain, and osteoporosis.

Background To investigate the prevalence of MRI degenerative findings of cervical spine in elderly Chinese males and females. Methods From a general population sample, cervical spine T2 weighted sagittal MR images were acquired in 272 males (mean age: 82.9±3.83) and 150 females (mean age: 81.5±4.27). Images were interpreted and degenerative changes were classified. Study subjects were divided into younger group (group A, ≤81 years) and older group (group B, >81 years). For neck pain, question was structured as 'during the past 12 months, have you had any neck pain? '. Two hundred and fifty-two males and 134 females also had hip bone mineral density (BMD) measured. Results 98.1% subjects exhibited at least one degenerative change at one or more vertebral levels. The C5/6 level had the highest overall frequency for degenerative changes. Most of the degenerative changes were more common in females. The older female group had higher prevalence or higher severity of degenerative findings than the younger group. Eleven point four percent of the males and 20.6% of the females reported neck pain, and male subjects with neck pain tended to have slightly higher prevalence of cervical degenerative changes. There was a weak trend that osteoporosis was associated with a higher prevalence of spinal cord high signal and a higher prevalence of spinal canal stenosis. Conclusions The age-dependence of cervical spine degenerative changes was more notable in females. Subjects with neck pain and subjects with osteoporosis were weakly associated with higher prevalence of cervical degenerative changes.
Bacterial Energetic Requirements for Helicobacter pylori Cag Type IV Secretion System-Dependent Alterations in Gastric Epithelial Cells

Helicobacter pylori colonizes the stomach in about half of the world’s population. H. pylori strains containing the cag pathogenicity island (cag PAI) are associated with a higher risk of gastric adenocarcinoma or peptic ulcer disease than cag PAI-negative strains. The cag PAI encodes a type IV secretion system (T4SS) that mediates delivery of the CagA effector protein as well as nonprotein bacterial constituents into gastric epithelial cells. ABSTRACT Helicobacter pylori colonizes the stomach in about half of the world’s population. H. pylori strains containing the cag pathogenicity island (cag PAI) are associated with a higher risk of gastric adenocarcinoma or peptic ulcer disease than cag PAI-negative strains. The cag PAI encodes a type IV secretion system (T4SS) that mediates delivery of the CagA effector protein as well as nonprotein bacterial constituents into gastric epithelial cells. H. pylori-induced nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) activation and interleukin-8 (IL-8) secretion are attributed to T4SS-dependent delivery of lipopolysaccharide metabolites and peptidoglycan into host cells, and Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) activation is attributed to delivery of bacterial DNA. In this study, we analyzed the bacterial energetic requirements associated with these cellular alterations. Mutant strains lacking Cagα, Cagβ, or CagE (putative ATPases corresponding to VirB11, VirD4, and VirB4 in prototypical T4SSs) were capable of T4SS core complex assembly but defective in CagA translocation into host cells. Thus, the three Cag ATPases are not functionally redundant. Cagα and CagE were required for H. pylori-induced NF-κB activation, IL-8 secretion, and TLR9 activation, but Cagβ was dispensable for these responses. We identified putative ATP-binding motifs (Walker-A and Walker-B) in each of the ATPases and generated mutant strains in which these motifs were altered. Each of the Walker box mutant strains exhibited properties identical to those of the corresponding deletion mutant strains. These data suggest that Cag T4SS-dependent delivery of nonprotein bacterial constituents into host cells occurs through mechanisms different from those used for recruitment and delivery of CagA into host cells.
CLINICAL EVALUATION OF INSTENT RESTENOSIS IN CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE

Background: Coronary stents have been the major advance in percutaneous coronary intervention in the last decade and are used in patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence of clinical instent restenosis on the basis of exercise test in patients with coronary disease. Materials and Methods: The cross-sectional strategy of this study was carried out on 345 patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention. In this study six months after stent implantation, clinical evaluation was performed by noninvasive study in patients. Results: Of 345 patients, 26 patients were excluded for various causes. There was instent restenonis in 20.7% of patients. In those who had abnormal exercise test, stent had been implanted in left anterior descending artery more than other coronary arteries and they had also shown unstable angina pectoris and myocardial infarction before stent implantation. Conclusion: The incidence of restenosis in patients with acute coronary syndrome was more than choronic stable angina pectoris.
Therapeutic effect of interleukin-10 in keloid fibroblasts by suppression of TGF-β/Smad pathway.

OBJECTIVE Keloids are a skin disorder where the skin goes beyond the original border of the wound or trauma, resulting in functional and cosmetic deformities, displeasure, itching, pain, psychological stress, and patient dissatisfaction. This study aimed to explore the therapeutic effect of interleukin-10 (IL-10) on the proliferation of keloid fibroblasts. PATIENTS AND METHODS Keloid fibroblasts were isolated, primarily cultured, and treated with IL-10 at different concentrations. Normal skin fibroblasts were used as normal control. Immunofluorescent staining was performed to identify the establishment of keloid, as well as normal skin fibroblast. Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) was carried out to monitor the proliferative variation, while Western blot was conducted to detect the expression variation of key members involved in the TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway. RESULTS Identified by the IF staining of Vimentin, a classical biomarker of fibroblast, both primary culture of keloid and normal skin fibroblasts have been established. Compared with control, the proliferation of Keloid fibroblasts was shown to be significantly suppressed on treatment with IL-10 in a time and dose-dependent manner. Expression of P-Smad2/3 and Smad4 were increasingly down-regulated, whereas Smad-7 was up-regulated with the increasing concentration of IL-10. By contrast, the variation of Smad 2/3 expressions was hardly influenced. Furthermore, the Collagen Type I and Collagen Type II were found to be markedly decreased after treatment with IL-10. CONCLUSIONS IL-10 was shown to be able to significantly inhibit the proliferation of keloid fibroblasts, which was explicitly and strongly suggestive of its potential therapeutic effect in the management of keloid.