Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
MTHFR 677C → T genotype modulates the effect of a 5-year supplementation with B-vitamins on homocysteine concentration: The SU.FOL.OM3 randomized controlled trial

Aims To study how MTHFR 677C→T genotype modulates the effect of supplementation with B-vitamins on total homocysteine (tHcy) and B-vitamin concentrations. Methods 2381 patients with a personal history of cardiovascular disease were randomly assigned to one of four groups: 1) B-vitamins alone (560 μg of 5-methyl-THF, 3 mg of vitamin B6 and 20 μg of vitamin B12), 2) n-3 fatty acids alone (600 mg of EPA and DHA in a 2:1 ratio), 3) B-vitamins and n-3 fatty acids, and 4) placebo. Participants were followed up for 4.7 years. At baseline and annually thereafter, biological parameters were assessed. Multivariate and linear mixed models were fit to study the interaction between B-vitamins and MTHFR genotype. Results Among supplemented participants, concentrations of all three B-vitamins increased during the first year (all p<0.0001) across MTHFR genotype categories. tHcy decreased by 26.3% during the first year (p<0.0001), then steadily increased throughout the 5 years (ptrend<0.001). However, at the end of follow-up, that increase was smaller among TT than among CT or CC subjects (pinteraction<0.02). At baseline, the difference in tHcy concentrations between TT homozygous and CC homozygous subjects was 2.33 μmol/l (p<0.001). After 5 years, that difference was reduced to 1.06 μmol/l and remained statistically significant (p<0.001). Conclusion Participants with the TT genotype exhibited a lower 5-year decrease in tHcy concentrations following a B-vitamin supplementation than did participants with the CC or CT genotype. Clinical trial registration Current Controlled Trials # ISRCTN41926726.
Effect of laser heat treatment on Pull-out bond strength of fiber posts treated with different silanes

Background This study evaluated the effect of three different silanes and post-silanization treatments on the retentive strength of fiber posts luted with an etch-and-rinse resin cement. Material and Methods One hundred intact maxillary central incisors were randomly divided into 10 groups after endodontic treatment and post space preparation (n=10). The fiber posts were etched using 24% hydrogen peroxide. Posts of the control group did not receive silane. In nine experimental groups, each of the three silanes used, Scotchbond Universal adhesive, Bis-Silane and Porcelain Primer, was subjected to three treatments: air-drying at 25°C, warm air-drying and CO2 laser heat treatment. After cementation of the treated posts using One-Step Plus/Duo-Link cement, the specimens were stored for one weak and then subjected to pull-out bond strength (PBS) testing. The data in Newton (N) were analyzed using two-way ANOVA and Tukey tests (α=0.05). Results PBS was significantly affected by silane type and post-silanization treatment (p<0.001). The interaction of the two factors was not statistically significant (p=0.15). The effect of Porcelain Primer on PBS was significantly higher than those of universal adhesive (p<0.001) and Bis-Silane (p=0.01), with similar results for the two latter. Warm air-drying and laser treatment significantly increased PBS (p<0.001). The lowest and highest PBS was obtained in the control (no silane) group (190.9±31) and laser-treated/ Porcelain Primer group (377.1±50), respectively. Conclusions Warm air-drying and CO2 laser heat treatment had a significantly beneficial effect on retentive strength of fiber posts. Porcelain Primer was significantly more effective than universal adhesive and Bis-Silane. Key words:Laser heat treatment, Pull-out bond strength, fiber post.
Antiferromagnetism at T > 500 K in the layered hexagonal ruthenate SrRu2O6

We report an experimental and computational study of the magnetic and electronic properties of the layered Ru(V) oxide SrRu2O6 (hexagonal, P3¯1m), which shows antiferromagnetic order with a Neel temperature of 563(2) K, among the highest for 4d oxides. Magnetic order occurs both within edge-shared octahedral sheets and between layers and is accompanied by anisotropic thermal expansivity that implies strong magnetoelastic coupling of Ru(V) centers. Electrical transport measurements using focused-ion-beam–induced deposited contacts on a micron-scale crystallite as a function of temperature show p-type semiconductivity. The calculated electronic structure using hybrid density functional theory successfully accounts for the experimentally observed magnetic and electronic structure, and Monte Carlo simulations reveal how strong intralayer as well as weaker interlayer interactions are a defining feature of the high-temperature magnetic order in the material.
Carer‐related research and knowledge: Findings from a scoping review

The review discussed in this paper provides a unique synthesis of evidence and knowledge about carers. The authors adopted a scoping review methodology drawing on a wide range of material from many different sources published between 2000 and 2016. It offers key insights into what we know and how we know it; reinforces and expands evidence about carers' profile; shows knowledge is uneven, e.g. much is known about working carers, young carers and carers of people with dementia but far less is about older carers or caring for someone with multiple needs. A striking feature of much research is a focus on caring as a set of tasks, rather than a dimension of an, often dyadic, relationship. While there is substantive evidence about the negative impact of caring, the review suggests that links between caring and carer outcomes are neither linear nor inevitable and vary in depth and nature. A reliance on cross-sectional studies using standardised measures is a major weakness of existing research: this approach fails to capture the multidimensionality of the caring role, and the lived experience of the carer. Although research relating to formal support suggests that specific interventions for particular groups of carers may be effective, overall the evidence base is weak. There is a tension between cost-effectiveness and what is valued by carers. Developing robust evaluative models that accommodate this tension, and take account of the dyadic context of caring is a critical challenge. A fundamental deficit of carer-related research is its location in one of two, largely separate, paradigmatic frameworks: the "Gatherers and Evaluators" and the "Conceptualisers and Theorisers. " The authors suggest that developing an integrated paradigm that draws on the strengths and methods of existing paradigms, has considerable potential to generate new knowledge and new evidence and extend understanding of care and caring.
TTX-Bearing Planocerid Flatworm (Platyhelminthes: Acotylea) in the Ryukyu Islands, Japan

Polyclad flatworms comprise a highly diverse and cosmopolitan group of marine turbellarians. Although some species of the genera Planocera and Stylochoplana are known to be tetrodotoxin (TTX)-bearing, there are few new reports. In this study, planocerid-like flatworm specimens were found in the sea bottom off the waters around the Ryukyu Islands, Japan. The bodies were translucent with brown reticulate mottle, contained two conical tentacles with eye spots clustered at the base, and had a slightly frilled-body margin. Each specimen was subjected to TTX extraction followed by liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry analysis. Mass chromatograms were found to be identical to those of the TTX standards. The TTX amounts in the two flatworm specimens were calculated to be 468 and 3634 μg. Their external morphology was found to be identical to that of Planocera heda. Phylogenetic analysis based on the sequences of the 28S rRNA gene and cytochrome-c oxidase subunit I gene also showed that both specimens clustered with the flatworms of the genus Planocera (Planocera multitentaculata and Planocera reticulata). This fact suggests that there might be other Planocera species that also possess highly concentrated TTX, contributing to the toxification of TTX-bearing organisms, including fish.
Outcomes of neoadjuvant and adjuvant chemotherapy in stage 2 and 3 non-small cell lung cancer: an analysis of the National Cancer Database

Introduction The current recommendation for the treatment of stage II and III NSCLC is surgery with chemotherapy. While the convention is to administer chemotherapy postoperatively (adjuvant chemotherapy), inconsistent results have been reported regarding the administration of chemotherapy preoperatively (neoadjuvant chemotherapy). Therefore, a comprehensive analysis of neoadjuvant chemotherapy use in NSCLC is needed. Results Of the 35,134 NSCLC patients identified, 18,684 received surgery alone, 1,154 received surgery with neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and 15,296 received surgery with adjuvant chemotherapy. Race, Charlson-Deyo score, facility type, insurance type and stage of disease are associated with the use of neoadjuvant chemotherapy. In the case of stage II disease, adjuvant chemotherapy showed improved survival (median OS = 80.8 months) over neoadjuvant chemotherapy (OS = 67.0 months) and surgery alone (OS = 51.0 months). For stage III disease, adjuvant chemotherapy (OS = 49.0 months) showed improved survival over surgery alone (OS = 24.3 months), followed by neoadjuvant chemotherapy (OS = 42.0 months). After propensity score matching, adjuvant chemotherapy was found to provide a survival advantage over neoadjuvant in both stage II (HR = 0.70; p = 5.8e-3) and stage III (HR = 0.77; p = 0.011) NSCLC. Conclusions Our analysis finds a survival advantage for neoadjuvant chemotherapy when compared to surgery alone, but no advantage compared to adjuvant chemotherapy in the treatment of resectable stage II and III NSCLC. Methods The National Cancer Database (NCDB) was queried for all cases of stage II and III NSCLC from 2006 to 2012. These patients were stratified by stage, and the factors affecting use of neoadjuvant chemotherapy and the effects of neoadjuvant versus adjuvant chemotherapy on overall survival (OS) were investigated.
Immunomodulation Effects of Schizonepeta tenuifolia Briq. on the IgE-Induced Allergic Model of RBL-2H3 Cells

Schizonepeta tenuifolia (ST) Briq. is a traditional herbal medicine commonly used to treat allergic skin diseases, where the inflammation process is closely related to symptom severity. This study aimed to explore the immunomodulatory effect of ST by using immunoglobulin E- (IgE-) stimulated RBL-2H3 cell cultures, a common cell line for studying mast cell degranulation and inflammatory cytokine release in vitro. After stimulating the RBL-2H3 cells with IgE, ST at concentrations of 10, 50, or 100 μg/mL was added to the cell cultures. Cell viability, inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-13, IL-4, TNF-α, and IFN-γ), anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10, and degranulation ability were examined 48 and 72 hours after administration of ST. The markers of inflammation and allergic reaction, IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-4, and IL-6, were suppressed, especially after treatment with 100 μg/mL ST. However, the anti-inflammation marker IL-10 was also suppressed by ST. Trend analysis showed that a higher ST concentration was associated with lower IFN-γ and TNF-α levels. Moreover, degranulation of RBL-2H3 cells was assessed by measuring the release of β-hexosaminidase, which was suppressed by ST at 10 μg/mL. This study showed an immunomodulatory effect of ST at the cellular level and suggests the role of ST in treating allergic diseases.
Impact of Random Number Generation on Parallel Genetic Algorithms

In this paper, we present a parallel genetic algorithm (pGA) with adaptive control parameters and permutation representation for weighted tardiness scheduling with sequencedependent setups, an NP-Hard problem. This pGA provides a linear to slightly superlinear speedup relative to its sequential counterpart. As part of our research, we explore the effects of different random number generation algorithms on the runtimes of both sequential and parallel GAs. GAs and other forms of evolutionary computation rely so heavily on random number generation that our results show that we can obtain a 20% increase in the speed of a pGA, and an over 25% increase in the speed of a sequential GA, simply by careful choice of random number generator—both the underlying generator as well as algorithms for specific number types such as Gaussian often needed for mutating real-valued genes.
Hydrothermal Synthesis of Hierarchical Ultrathin NiO Nanoflakes for High-Performance CH4 Sensing

Methane (CH4), as a colorless and odorless gas, is the main component of natural gas and widely used in various industries and human daily life (Schoonbaert et al., 2015). However, the leakage of natural gas, oil and gas storage, transportation and distribution systems increase atmospheric CH4 concentration levels and lead to serious climate changes, which must be addressed (Zheng et al., 2017). Additionally, CH4 will be easy to explode in a range of concentration (5–15%). Therefore, it is necessary to develop rapid and accurate gas sensors for CH4 detection. Nickel oxide NiO (Sun et al., 2014) is a significant p-type semiconductor, and has been widely used as catalyst (Yu et al., 2015), lithium-ion battery (Gu et al., 2016; Long et al., 2018), gas sensor (Wang et al., 2016; Zhou et al., 2018b), magnetic material (Cui et al., 2011), and so on. In recent years, many researchers have reported that NiO can be applied to fabricate high performance gas sensors for detecting some special gases such as hydrogen (Sta et al., 2016), NO2 (Hoa and El-Safty, 2011), ethanol (Miao et al., 2017), etc. Zhang et al. studied a methane gas sensor based on nickel oxide (NiO)/reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanocomposite film, which exhibited a response of 15% toward 1000 ppm CH4 gas at 260 ◦C (Zhang et al., 2016), and the sensing response of the pure NiO film sensor only was 2.5% under the same condition.Moreover, few reports about the synthesis of hierarchical NiO nanostructures and its application for CH4 detection was reported recently. Thus, in this study we reported the successful synthesis of hierarchical ultrathin NiO nanoflakes and systematically researched their gas sensing properties to CH4. Interestingly, the proposed sensor exhibited high sensitivity, low optimal operating temperature, good linear relationship and excellent selectivity to CH4.
Large, nonsaturating thermopower in a quantizing magnetic field

Applying a strong magnetic field to a Dirac or Weyl semimetal can produce record-large thermopower and figure of merit. The thermoelectric effect is the generation of an electrical voltage from a temperature gradient in a solid material due to the diffusion of free charge carriers from hot to cold. Identifying materials with a large thermoelectric response is crucial for the development of novel electric generators and coolers. We theoretically consider the thermopower of Dirac/Weyl semimetals subjected to a quantizing magnetic field. We contrast their thermoelectric properties with those of traditional heavily doped semiconductors and show that, under a sufficiently large magnetic field, the thermopower of Dirac/Weyl semimetals grows linearly with the field without saturation and can reach extremely high values. Our results suggest an immediate pathway for achieving record-high thermopower and thermoelectric figure of merit, and they compare well with a recent experiment on Pb1–xSnxSe.
Decision Making About Rural Physiotherapy Service Provision Varies With Sector, Size and Rurality

Introduction: Decisions about physiotherapy service provision occur within the context of organisations, locations, and settings. The uniqueness of rural communities means it is important to consider contextual factors when making decisions about rural health services. As literature describing decision making about rural physiotherapy services is limited, this study sought perspectives on service level decision making (SLDM) from a range of stakeholders. The research approach needed to support consideration of both location and the broader health system. Method: A sequential mixed methods approach within a systems theory-case study heuristic provided the framework to explore rural physiotherapy SLDM. The investigation site, a large area of one Australian state, contained a mix of regional, rural, and remote communities. Perspectives on SLDM were obtained through surveys of physiotherapists, colleagues, and managers, with follow up interviews of a purposeful sample of participants. Results: Responses from physiotherapists, colleagues, manager surveys (n=34), and in-depth interviews (n=19) revealed commonalities and differences between sites and sectors. Available skill and expertise were common considerations across sites. Decisions about prioritisation of services occurred in both public and private settings; however, organisational priorities were a greater influence in the public sector and financial viability in the private sector. Service size influenced the perceived degree of autonomy of physiotherapists in SLDM, with physiotherapists in smaller sites having more independence. Directions from health facility management and the increasing need to prioritise services were reflected in physiotherapy responses from larger facilities. National health reforms and state level priorities were noted as influencing factors, as were connection to community, rurality, and the distance from decision makers. Conclusion: This study provides insight into decisions informing rural physiotherapy service provision. Understanding context and diversity is important to understanding local health service decisions. System level influences from macro and meso level decision makers provide the framework within which micro level physiotherapy SLDM occurs. Service sector, size and rurality then further qualify local service options and influence SLDM. Decisions about service provision need to take into consideration the current availability of services, the context of each location and skill mix required.
Research progress on human genes involved in the pathogenesis of glaucoma

Glaucoma is the leading cause of irreversible blindness globally. It is known that the incidence of glaucoma is closely associated with inheritance. A large number of studies have suggested that genetic factors are involved in the occurrence and development of glaucoma, and even affect the drug sensitivity and prognosis of glaucoma. In the present review, 22 loci of glaucoma are presented, including the relevant genes (myocilin, interleukin 20 receptor subunit B, optineurin, ankyrin repeat- and SOCS box-containing protein 10, WD repeat-containing protein 36, EGF-containing fibulin-like extracellular matrix protein 1, neurotrophin 4, TANK-binding kinase 1, cytochrome P450 subfamily I polypeptide 1, latent transforming growth factor β binding protein 2 and TEK tyrosine kinase endothelial) and 74 other genes (including toll-like receptor 4, sine oculis homeobox Drosophila homolog of 1, doublecortin-like kinase 1, RE repeats-encoding gene, retinitis pigmentosa GTPase regulator-interacting protein, lysyl oxidase-like protein 1, heat-shock 70-kDa protein 1A, baculoviral IAP repeat-containing protein 6, 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase and nitric oxide synthase 3 and nanophthalmos 1) that are more closely associated with glaucoma. The pathogenesis of these glaucoma-associated genes, glaucomatous genetics and genetic approaches, as well as glaucomatous risk factors, including increasing age, glaucoma family history, high myopia, diabetes, ocular trauma, smoking, intraocular pressure increase and/or fluctuation were also discussed.
The Chronic Effect of Interval Training on Energy Intake: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Single bouts of acute exercise do not appear to increase subsequent energy intake (EI), even when energy deficit is large. However, studies have shown a compensatory effect on EI following chronic exercise, and it remains unclear whether this is affected by exercise intensity. We investigated the chronic effect of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and sprint interval training (SIT) on EI when compared with moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) or no exercise (CON). Databases were searched until 13 March 2017 for studies measuring EI in response to chronic exercise (≥4 weeks of duration) of a high-intensity interval nature. Meta-analysis was conducted for between-group comparisons on EI (kilojoules) and bodyweight (kg). Results showed large heterogeneity, and therefore, metaregression analyses were conducted. There were no significant differences in EI between HIIT/SIT versus MICT (P=0.282), HIIT/SIT versus CON (P=0.398), or MICT versus CON (P=0.329). Although bodyweight was significantly reduced after HIIT/SIT versus CON but not HIIT/SIT versus MICT (in studies measuring EI), this was not clinically meaningful (<2% mean difference). In conclusion, there is no compensatory increase in EI following a period of HIIT/SIT compared to MICT or no exercise. However, this review highlights important methodological considerations for future studies.
Community Service-Learning and Cultural-Historical Activity Theory

This paper explores the potential of cultural-historical activity theory (CHAT), to provide new insights into community service-learning (CSL) in higher education. While CSL literature acknowledges the influences of John Dewey and Paolo Freire, discussion of the potential contribution of cultural-historical activity theory, rooted in the work of Russian psychologist Lev Vygotsky, is noticeably absent. This paper addresses this gap by examining four assumptions associated with activity theory: the rejection of a theory/practice divide, the development of knowledge as a social collaborative activity, the focus on contradictions in and across activity systems, and the interventionist approach aimed at transformation.
Giving Inertial Sensor Data Context for Communication in Applied Settings: An Example of Visual Exploration in Football

For an athlete to make an appropriate decision and successfully perform a skill, they need to perceive opportunities for action by visually exploring their environment. The head movements that support visual exploration can easily and accurately be recorded using Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) Inertial Measurement Units (IMU) in research and applied settings. However, for IMU technology to be effective in applied settings, practitioners need to be able to communicate data to coaches and players. This paper presents methods of visualising and communicating exploratory head movement data, with the aim of giving a better understanding of (a) individual differences in exploratory action, and (b) how IMUs can be used in applied settings to assess and monitor visual exploratory action.